Azure
by sleepy-emo
Summary: Times are hard since an economic crisis hit Shinganshina. Armin's works in a dive strip club to make ends meet. One night while working he catches the eye of Jean, who's new in town. When the owner, Erwin, says Armin is going to have to sleep with the clients and his boyfriend, Reiner, tells him they need the money things begin to spiral, giving Jean the chance to get close to him.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! So I got this idea for a story involving Jean and Armin - it's long and kinda dark in parts but it is, ultimately, a love story. I won't say too much for now, I'll let the prologue do the talking. Hope you enjoy 3**

It is a truth universally known that you can tell a lot about a place by its bars and the dingier the dive, the poorer the town. So really it should have been no surprise to Jean, after having seen what the rest of Shinganshina has to offer, that their dive bar is an absolute shit-hole. Dingy and grimy there is a very real possibility that one could contract hepatitis just from sitting on one of the seats for too long. Still this is the nearest bar for miles and, after the day he's had, Jean needs a stiff drink.

The trick with dives is to act like you're supposed to be there so Jean purposefully makes his way over to the bar. There are a few people here and there but it's not full by any stretch of the imagination. All the patrons wear the same bleak, vacant expression, none of them looking up from their drinks as if they can find the answer to their problems at the bottom of the glass. It's the same dull eyed face Jean has seen on most of the people he's met in Shinganshina and it makes him wonder why he came to this backwater town in the first place.

At the bar Jean waits as an unhappy looking blonde girl, dressed in nothing but a bra and a tiny pair of shorts that may as well be underwear, brings the man standing next to him his drinks. Once he's left she turns to him and Jean catches a flash of her name-badge: Titan. _Odd name for someone so small and twiggy..._

"What can I get you?" she asks. She sounds as bored as her dull blue eyes look and Jean can't help but feel a little sorry for her. _Working in a place like this must be hell..._

"Double scotch, no ice," Jean replies.

Titan nods and goes to prepare his drink. Not that it requires much preparation – in a place like this you don't want to water down the booze as it's probably watered down enough as it is and drinking the tap water isn't a good idea either. When she returns she places the glass down on the filthy bar top and Jean notes, with genuine surprise, that the glass is at least clean.

"Seven fifty," she tells him.

Jean hands her a note. "Keep the change."

Titan gives him the barest hint of a smile before disappearing off to the next customer. _That may well have just made her night_ , Jean realises.

He picks up his drink and turns to look around at the rest of the bar. Everything about it looks filthy and out-dated and a place like this really has no business charging seven fifty for a double scotch. There must be some pull to this place although Jean can't for the life of him figure out what and he isn't all together sure he wants to hang around to find out. He is about to down the drink and leave when the lights go out.

Music begins to blare out of the speakers and a set of huge grimy looking curtains along one wall slowly part. Spotlights shine on the revealed stage showcasing a single pole in the centre. _Ah so that's why people come here..._

"Ladies and gentlemen of Club Rose please welcome to the stage the tantalising Azure," a booming voice echoes through the speakers.

The spotlights snap off and a second later the stage is backlit to reveal the silhouette of a slender figure with hair that stops just above their shoulders. The spotlights suddenly light up again to reveal a stunning, slightly feminine blond man in tight jeans and a white tank top. Jean's heart stops as the angel on stage takes hold of the pole and begins to sensually grind his hips against it to cheers and wolf whistles from the small crowd. _Who is he...?_

With transfixed eyes Jean watches as the dancer – Azure – runs a hand down his chest and back up, taking the hem of the tank top with him and revealing taught muscles underneath. The cheers of the crowd get louder as hands suddenly fly to the low collar of the tank top and Azure tears it open, right down the middle and pulls it off. Jean's breath catches in his throat as the now shirtless beauty tosses the tattered scraps across the stage and begins to dance. Azure works the pole like a lover's body, grinding against it and wrapping himself around it, making sure those impossibly tight trousers tighten even more.

Throughout the performance Jean watches, utterly spellbound, almost wishing that he could trade places with that pole, if only for a second. To have those legs wrapped around him and those hips grinding against his must be what heaven feels like. _Don't get too carried away, you're still in public..._ When the dance finally comes to an end and Azure leaves the stage Jean downs his drink, the spell broken as he comes back to himself, and turns back to the bar. Titan just so happens to be free and behind him and she looks up when she sees movement.

"Same again?" she asks.

"Thanks but I'm good," Jean says. Titan turns to leave. "One second."

"Yeah?"

"Who was that?"

"Who?"

"The dancer," Jean replies nodding his head in the direction of the stage. Titan's eyes briefly follow the movement but her expression doesn't seem to change at all.

"That?" she asks. "That was Azure. He's the most popular dancer we have here."

"I can see why," Jean says more to himself than to her. He turns his attention back to the stage and Titan moves on to the next customer. As the stage lights up on the next dancer – a tall well built man with cropped black hair – Jean realises that he needs to see Azure again. Even if it means coming back to this shit-hole every night _until_ he sees him, Jean will make sure that he does see him again.


	2. That Look In Your Eyes

**Morning everyone :) switching points of view here (most of it is going to be told from Armin's anyway, I just really liked having the prologue from Jean's) set on the same night, just a couple of hours later. Hope you enjoy 3**

The lights in the dressing rooms, especially the shitty bulbs around the grimy mirrors, are not flattering at the best of times but, getting this close a look, Armin thinks he looks like shit. Underneath the stage make-up he has huge dark circles under his eyes and his hair could really do with a wash but no one would have seen from the stage. He's also pretty sure he has a tiny cut on his lip as well and it feels as if he's got some dry skin – probably an allergic reaction to the shitty, cheep washing power – forming on the back of his neck where his t-shirt rubs. Again at least it can't be seen from the stage. _That would make the tips go down..._

He changes out of the skin tight jeans and into a much more comfy pair of tracksuit trousers and pulls an old band t-shirt on. They may be old and ratty but at least they're comfortable. He sighs to himself before taking a packet of make-up wipes out of his bag, pulling one out and scrubbing all the make-up off. Not that he ever puts much on, just enough to not look like death under the lights and with it gone he feels as if he looks even worse but he's done for the night so a part of him doesn't care. He runs a brush through his hair and starts to tie up the slightly longer front part into a tiny ponytail. Shoving his brush back into his bag he sighs again trying to forget, once again, that this is his life.

"Arrrrrrrrrmiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!" a loud voice sings as the door to his dressing room slams open. Armin looks up into the mirror to see Ymir standing in the doorway beaming at him.

"Hey Ymir," he replies giving her a small smile. She is one of the few other dancers who calls him by his actual name and he offers her the same courtesy (mostly because he can't get her to stop).

"Saw your set tonight," Ymir says adjusting one of the cups of her bra, "looking hot up there!"

"Thanks," Armin says rolling his eyes.

"Nice man-bun," she teases, skipping over to Armin and giving the end of the ponytail a gentle tug.

"Thanks..." Armin says. He's not quite sure whether to take that as a compliment or not as there are a lot of douche-bags who rock that style but it's a good way for regulars not to recognising him as his face looks completely different without the usual frame of blond.

"So how's things?"

"Fine," Armin replies with a shrug.

Ymir hops up onto his dressing table, her long shapely legs dangling over the edge. "You sure?" she asks. "You seem a little on the pale side is all."

Armin gives her a smile and shakes his head. "I'm fine, just a little tired."

Ymir studies him through narrowed eyes for a moment and Armin prays that she'll drop it. He doesn't feel like talking about the fact that he's hit that time of the month when rent is due, bills are hitting final notices and he has to pick up extra shifts taking his clothes off and dancing for lecherous old pervs. _It's enough to make anyone go quiet every once in a while..._

"So you done for the night?" Ymir asks and Armin is very glad that she _has_ decided to drop it.

"Yeah," Armin says chuckling. "Got called in early to entice new people in and warm up the crowd... not like anyone was there to watch."

"True," Ymir says. "No one comes in here before nine. You going home to spend time with the boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Armin says looking at his watch. It is half past midnight, earlier than he would usually be leaving and he is grateful for that. "He should be home by now."

"How's it all going living with him?"

"It's great."

"You getting by?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"You sure? I know shit's expensive at the moment, especially now the economy's in the crapper. I'm looking for something else to tie me over for the next month of so."

Armin opens his mouth to make some kind of excuse for not giving a better answer but he's saved by a stony faced Annie sticking her head round the door.

"Hey Freckles, stop gossiping like a bitch and get on stage. You're up!"

Ymir laughs. "Always ready for fun as ever Titan." She turns to Armin and winks at him. "See you tomorrow Sweetness."

"See you tomorrow," he says as Ymir jumps off the dressing table and saunters out of the room giving Annie a smirk and a smack on the arse as she passes. Annie glowers at her.

"Bitch," she mutters under her breath.

"You okay Annie?" Armin asks after a pause. She's another that doesn't mind him calling her by her real name instead of her stage name but if anyone else did she'd probably end their life. She turns her signature glower onto him.

"I had to take time out of my break to come get her sorry ass," Annie says.

"Sorry.

"'s fine," she mutters, shaking her head. Armin can tell it isn't but he doesn't push it. "You off?"

"Yeah," Armin says as he pulls on a hooded jacket that is way too big for him, zips it up and slings his bag over one of his shoulders.

"See you tomorrow then."

Armin smiles. "Have a better rest of the night."

"I got a two fifty tip, that's the best it's going to get."

"Well I'll see you tomorrow then."

Annie disappears and Armin leaves his dressing room, turning the light off and shutting the door as he goes. All he wants to do is get home and fall asleep – he's exhausted and more than a little grumpy. So it really doesn't help his mood when he turns a corner leading to the back exit so he can sneak out unnoticed and finds himself face to face with his boss Erwin Smith. If he could have doubled back and made his escape that way then he would have done but Erwin looks up from the document he's reading at just the wrong moment.

He smirks when he sees him. "Ah Armin, I'm glad I caught you." The one person in this building he wishes _would_ call him by his stage name.

"Yes Mr Smith?"

"You can dispense with the formalities," Erwin says taking a step closer, that Armin has to actively not step away from, "it's just the two of us out here."

"Okay... Erwin." The words taste like ash in his mouth and stick in his throat. He knows exactly why Erwin wants him to call him by his first name and it puts him on edge.

"I have your tips for this evening," Erwin says holding a small brown envelope, with 'Azure' written in looping cursive on the front, out to him.

Armin takes the envelope and, trying not to look too eager, he opens it and takes a look inside. Mostly notes – nothing huge – and a few coins that, added to the small bit of change in his pocket, might pay for a bus home. He closes the envelope and pockets it. It's probably a good thing he's run into Erwin now – it's relatively private but there's still a chance that someone can come round the corner and interrupt them. _Just ask him now while the going's good..._

"Mr Smith..." _No! That won't get you what you want!_ "Erwin... would it be possible to have a slight advance on my wages? My rent is due soon and I want to make sure I have enough money to pay it."

Erwin chuckles and shakes his head. "You know I don't play favourites Armin." _Bullshit!_

"It's just a few days," Armin pleads. _There's no point, he's not going to say yes..._

"If you want to get more money then you're going to have to earn more tips." Erwin tells him.

"Okay," Armin says and forces himself to smile but it probably looks more like a grimace.

"There are other ways that you can earn money besides dancing," Erwin says, his lecherous smirk spreading.

Armin knows exactly when he means by that. He knows exactly what he means and there is no way in hell he's going to go through with it. Dancing and stripping is one thing entirely. He gives Erwin a tight lipped smile, trying his best to be polite.

"Thank you for your time," Armin says and goes to leave but before he can Erwin's arm blocks his path. Armin looks up into his icy blue eyes and he instantly wants to run in the opposite direction.

"If you're really desperate for money then I'm sure that you and I can come to some kind of arrangement," Erwin says as the hand not blocking his path cups his chin, tilting his face up and Armin suddenly feels sick. Sleeping with his boss for an advance on his wages isn't a route he wants to go down. It will just set a president that he's fine with fucking for money.

"I... um..." _How can I get out of this without saying a flat yes or no?_

Thankfully for Armin he is saved by the deep familiar tones of one of the security guards. "Excuse me Mr Smith can I borrow you for a second?" Gunther asks. "There's some punk kid with no ID trying to get in again."

"Of course," Erwin says, his eyes still fixed on Armin for a second, lingering on the expanse of neck not quite covered by the hoodie. He removes his hands from the wall and Armin's chin and strides over to Gunther. "Think over what I said Armin."

Armin stays rooted to the spot until he is sure the two of them have gone before he takes his opportunity and darts away down the corridor and out the back exit. He leans his back against the door once he is outside and takes a deep breath of the night air. A shiver runs through him and it has nothing to do with the temperature outside. He pushes himself off the door and goes over to the bus stop halfway down the road from the club. Really he should save the money and just walk home but the less time he spends alone with his thoughts tonight the better.

The fact that this is just his life now – staving off the advances of his pervert boss and scraping for money at the end of each month just to survive – when he had had such a promising future always stings. An overwhelming urge to slam his fist into something hard grips him but there is nothing to hand so he pushes it down where it can begin to eat away at him.

"Excuse me..."

The soft voice only serves to add fuel to the fire and Armin rounds on the speaker, ready to snap at them to leave him the fuck alone, but the words die in his throat and the anger leaves him in a rush. Standing behind him is a tall man – taller than he is by at least a head and shoulders – with an undercut, Armin can't quite tell the colour due to the orange of the street-lights but he would guess at mousey-brown, and the most stunning face Armin has ever seen. His heart stops for a moment as the man smiles at him.

"Hi," he says.

"Hello," Armin says a little unsure and more than a little breathless. He swallows. "Can I help you?"

The man stares at him for a moment and there is a light in his eyes that only serves to make him more attractive. "You were dancing in there just now, weren't you?" He nods his head in the direction of the club.

Armin eyes him wearily. _Could be a nut..._ "What of it?"

"I just wanted to tell you that you are the most stunning thing I've ever seen and I'd really like to know your name," the man replies.

Armin can feel himself blushing but he doesn't think it will be noticeable under the street-lights. He narrows his eyes at the man. _What's his game?_

"Is that a line?"

"Nope," the man says shaking his head. "I'd just like to know your name, if that's okay?"

Armin continues to study him through narrowed eyes. This is how people pick up stalkers and just because he's attractive doesn't mean he can't turn into a grade A stalker. He read the story in the paper about the guy who kept someone in his basement until he got Stockholm Syndrome and fell in love with him.

"Azure," he says finally. _Always give your stage name – protect yourself, just in case._

"Really?" the man asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Really," Armin firmly replies.

"So are you there a lot?" the man asks, nodding back towards the club.

"Well it is my job."

"So if I come back I might see you?"

"More than likely."

"Good."

The way he smiles at him chills Armin to his very core. It unsettles him but not in the way that Erwin's smiles at him or the way the punters' do. This smiles he can't put his finger on and he doesn't quite know how to react to it.

"Well," he says shaking the feeling off and forcing himself to smile coyly, "if you want a private dance you'll have to come back and pay for it." _Might as well get another client out of this, if I can..._

"If you're going to be on stage I'll definitely be back," the man says.

Armin opens his mouth to reply but at that moment a taxi pulls up beside them. Armin assumes that it's for this strange man who talks to strippers like they're real people so he is very surprised when he gestures for Armin to take it.

"Are you serious?"

"I can walk, it's no big deal," the man replies.

"But..."

"I don't live that far away. I don't know why I ordered it."

"Well thank you anyway but I can't accept it," Armin says.

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

"That's not an answer."

"Yes it is."

"Not dropping it till you tell me," the man says grinning.

Armin realises that he's not kidding. He sighs. "I can't afford it."

The man shrugs. "I'll pay."

"What?"

"I'll pay for it, wherever you need to go."

"This is crazy," Armin says. "You don't know me."

"Well no but would you rather get home faster or stand out in the cold for the rest of the night waiting for a bus that might not show?" the man asks grinning at him again.

Armin has to admit that it is an attractive prospect but he doesn't know this guy. He could have planned anything with the driver beforehand!

"What's the catch?" he asks.

"No catch," the man says. "Just hope you get home safe."

"Fine," Armin says finally shaking his head. It's getting awkward that they're keeping the driver waiting as they stand and argue and this man isn't going to take no for an answer so he opens the back door and gets it. Then man hands him a twenty, which is more than enough to get him home, before leaning his forearm against the edge of the door and smiling down at him.

"Hope I see again soon," he says before he closes the door and starts to walk away, not giving Armin a chance to respond.

Armin watches him for a moment, a tingling in his gut making his heart beat faster. The way his eyes had burned into him was like he could see into his soul and it makes Armin's heart flutter. He's broken out of his reverie by the gruff voice of the taxi driver.

"Where to kid?"

"Th... three Wisteria Court," he stammers. He shakes himself as the driver pulls away. He's being crazy. Jumping on the first sign of human decency shown to him is a bad train to hop on to... but those eyes and that smile, hell that entire face, is going to be hard to forget.


	3. Don't Say A Word

**Morning guys :) I have to go back to work today after basically two weeks and it's a ten hour shift :'( so I thought I'd edit and upload this now. If you get a weird, awkward feeling while reading this scene, don't worry it's supposed to be there, enjoy :D**

Despite what the name would suggest Wisteria Court is a shit, run down cul-de-sac about half an hour's walk from the club. As it turns out it's only a ten minute drive and Armin asks the driver if he can drop him off at the end of the road. He gets a confused stare in return but the driver doesn't say anything else, just takes the proffered twenty and gives Armin the change. It's more than he expected, way more, and he thinks about telling the driver to keep it but the growling in his stomach from the lack of a decent meal makes him pocket it along with his tips.

As he walks towards number three he sees the kitchen light still on and knows that Reiner is still up waiting for him. _Probably a good thing I asked the driver to drop me at the end of the road..._ Having to explain why he was coming home in a taxi when they couldn't afford it would open up the floor for way too many questions about the guy with the undercut. He takes his key out, unlocks the door and lets himself in, so thankful the he's finally home.

"I'm home," he calls softly as he locks the door behind him.

Reiner appears in the kitchen doorway as Armin unlaces his boots. "Hey, you," he all but purrs. He swiftly closes the distance between them, catching Armin completely off guard as he takes hold of his chin and pulls him into a deep kiss. "Welcome home," he whispers against Armin's lips as he pulls away.

"Good day?" Armin asks trying to compose himself as he finishes removing his boots and drops his bag to the floor.

"Yeah, it was alright," Reiner replies shrugging. "How about you?"

"It was fine," Armin says as he makes his way to the kitchen.

"Did you ask Smith about the advance?" Reiner asks, following.

"I did," Armin replies sighing, "he said no."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Armin shrugs even though it really isn't. He doesn't tell Reiner about Erwin's deal. _We are not opening that door..._ "I got a decent set of tips tonight though so that should get us a little closer."

He takes the envelope out of his pocket, thankful that he had the forethought to put the change from the taxi in there beforehand, and puts it on the kitchen table. Reiner picks it up and give the contents a quick glance.

"It looks like at least fifty so that should do us for a while," he says.

"That's good," Armin says as he pours himself a glass of water and downs the whole thing in one go. "There was this guy who came up to me after I left though."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, he was gushing about how amazing he thought my dance was so I might get a few hefty tips out of him if I'm lucky."

"You think he's gonna come back?" Reiner asks.

Armin shrugs. "He said he would and he was pretty vocal about how much he wanted to come back and see me dance again." Armin decides to leave out just how attractive he was and just how intense the look he gave him was and definitely leaves out how it made his heart flutter. _That will open up one too many doors..._

"Well who wouldn't?" Reiner asks and Armin feels big strong arms wrap around his tiny frame. "You're an amazing dancer."

Armin chuckles. "You've never seen me dance at work."

"True," Reiner says as he begins to play with the zip of Armin's hoodie, "but I mean, come on, you're stunning. Anyone would want you after seeing you."

A surprisingly gentle hand moves Armin's hair away from his neck and Reiner begins to press butterfly kisses against his skin. Armin lets out a soft, breathy sigh as Reiner's lips travel up to just below his ear. He leans his head back against Reiner's stooped shoulder and allows his eyes to slip closed. Instantly the face of that man flashes across his eyelids and his eyes snap open. He places his hand over Reiner's to stop him as he slowly pulls down the zip of the hoodie.

"Wait..."

"What?" Reiner asks but he doesn't stop lavishing Armin's neck with kisses.

"I'm sorry," Armin says. "I'm really tired from work and could do with some sleep."

Reiner's hand slips inside the hoodie and begins to tease one of Armin's nipples through his shirt as he scrapes his teeth lightly against the expanse of neck beneath his lips.

"When was the last time you and I got the chance to fool around?" he asks. He's not wrong. The last time they had both been home and had the energy for sex was maybe three weeks ago. He still doesn't really want to but convincing Reiner when he's already got it into his head is going to be next to impossible. As if reading his thoughts Reiner gives Armin's earlobe a gentle bite – the one thing that makes him completely weak.

"Come on," he whispers. "I'll make you feel good."

The hand not teasing his nipple slips down to palm his cock through his tracksuit and Armin's resolve shatters. He moans softly, leaning his head back against Reiner's shoulder again and lets himself be swept up in the feeling. Reiner turns the heat up a little and slips his hand under the waistband of Armin's tracksuit to rub him off through his boxers. Armin's knees buckle, turning to jelly, and he can't stop himself from mewling, writhing under Reiner's touch.

"You know a part of me wants to fuck you right here against the kitchen counter," Reiner hisses in his ear as he gives Armin's nipple a hard pinch, making him cry out softly, "but I think I want to see you ride me tonight."

Trying to take control of the situation Armin turns to face Reiner, wrapping his arms around his neck and standing up on his tiptoes so he can press a kiss to Reiner's lips. Huge, strong hands instantly find purchase of his backside, squeezing the flesh harshly and making Armin moan into his mouth. Reiner uses that grip to lift him and Armin instantly wraps slender legs around his stocky waist.

"You always look so hot when you're riding my dick," Reiner says, breaking the kiss as he begins to carry Armin up the stairs to their bedroom. The friction created between Reiner's chiselled stomach and Armin's rapidly hardening cock is delicious. It makes him pant, breathless with want, and he kids himself into thinking he can totally separate his thoughts from his body for one night. _If I don't think I can just be in the moment and enjoy it..._

He barely registers anything, allowing himself to be completely swept up in the feeling of Reiner's body rubbing against his, until Reiner drops him down on the mattress. Hugh blue eyes look up as Reiner rids himself of his t-shirt and lets it drop to the floor. Armin's breath hitches as his eyes rake up to Reiner's face, the wolfish smirk plastered there makes him shiver. With his shirt gone Reiner leans over and runs his thumb over Armin's bottom lip. The movement is so gentle Armin almost forgets that he didn't really want this a few moments ago.

"You're stunning," Reiner says. "Gonna absolutely wreck you."

A shiver slips down Armin's spine as Reiner reaches over to undo the zip all the way down before pushing the hoodie off Armin's shoulders. He can barely breathe as Reiner rids himself of his jeans. His own shirt is swiftly removed and tossed aside, his body almost protesting from fatigue at the movement. He's exhausted and, really, this is the last thing he wants to be doing but he's already half undressed and he's into it... he really is... _If I don't think I'll be fine..._

Reiner looks him over and Armin feels himself shrinking under his gaze, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Reiner's huge hand takes hold of Armin's chin and tilts his face up to kiss him, slipping his tongue passed pliant lips to completely dominate him. Armin barely notices as Reiner's other hand begins to rub him off again. A tiny whimper escapes Armin's throat as Reiner pulls away. He strips off his boxers and lies down on the mattress.

"Sit on my face," he orders.

Armin's mouth goes dry. It's so very rare they do this and he always feels so self-conscious when they do but that commanding tone has gone straight to his dick. Without a word he nods and pushes himself up on shaking legs to strip off the last of his clothes. _You can do this, just don't think about it too much..._

Swallowing his nerves Armin places his thighs either side of Reiner's head, his entire body jolting as his cheeks are forced apart and Reiner runs his tongue over him. His head spins and he tries not to grind down as Reiner opens him up with his tongue. Nothing is registering – he barely hears the sound of lube being squirted out of a tube, he just about realises what's happening as one of Reiner's thick fingers begins to push inside him along with his tongue.

"Oh god... Reiner!" he moans as that finger begins to pump slowly in and out of him. He lets his eyes fall closed and the image of intense eyes that definitely aren't Reiner's flashes through his mind. His own snap open, opting instead for looking at the ceiling as Reiner continues to eat him out.

Once two fingers have him thoroughly stretched Reiner removes both his fingers and tongue and Armin bites down on a whine of protest. Feeling lucid he allows Reiner to manoeuvre him until he's kneeling above his cock. He waits, practically trembling with anticipation, as Reiner slips on a condom and lubes himself up. Harsh hands grab thin hips once he's done and Armin lowers himself onto Reiner's cock. A tiny part of him does have to admit it feels amazing as he begins to fuck himself on Reiner's dick, all his earlier reluctance forgotten as those hands grip his hips a little tighter.

"Armin fuck!" Reiner grunts. "You looks so fucking good like this."

All Armin can do is moan in response as he slams himself down, taking Reiner all the way in. One hand braces himself against the hard abdominal muscles beneath him while the other pulls his hair lose from its tie and clutches at the free strands. He can feel himself getting closer and closer to his end and he knows he's not going to last much longer so he begins to ride Reiner's dick harder, taking him in as far and as deep as he will go with every thrust.

His eyes slip closed, totally lost in pleasure, and this time, as that beautiful stranger's face pops into his mind he doesn't fight it. He allows himself to think back to the way that man looked at him, like he was the most beautiful thing in the world. It's the thought of that man clasping his hands, linking their fingers together, and whispering 'I love you' as he fucks him is what finally pushes him over the edge.

He cums with a wordless cry, painting Reiner's chest in white. He just about manages to catch himself before he collapses into a boneless mass. Fighting down the wave of guilt he focuses on Reiner also reaching his peak and cumming. On shaking legs he pulls himself off and flops onto the mattress, utterly spent and exhausted. He allows Reiner to tangle his fingers into his hair and pull him into a sloppy kiss, trying not to indulge the thought already niggling at him. _When was the last time Reiner told me he loved me...?_


	4. He Who Walks In Starlight

**Morning guys :D so this is Armin and Jean's first proper meeting, hope you all enjoy it :)**

Amber. That's the colour of those eyes. Intense, searing amber that seems to burn into him from the bar as Armin grinds himself against the pole on stage. He feels those eyes on him as soon as he steps out onto the stage and he knows they haven't left him the entire time he's been dancing. It wasn't until the stage lights first shone into the crowd that he knew for certain it was the man from two nights ago. As he turns to the crowd to tease the waistband of the skin tight jeans he's wearing he makes the mistake of locking with those eyes and his stomach flutters.

 _Pull yourself together_ , he tells himself as he turns his attention back to shaking his hips as he rids himself of those jeans. Sure the man is handsome as hell but he's not that attractive... right? Armin can lie to himself all he wants but the fact of the matter is that this man, whoever he is does funny things to him. The pure and simple fact that he knows those eyes are watching him and only him as he dances is enough to make Armin a little light headed and that is very dangerous in this line of work.

He manages to get through the rest of the dance and as he leaves the stage he is a little relieved to have a reprieve from those eyes that can see into his soul. It's short lived though as a knock on his dressing room door has him looking up to see Erwin standing in the doorway, smirking at him. Armin swallows down the wave of revulsion and turns to smile at him, even if it is quite obviously a fake one.

"Erwin," he says with forced brightness, "what can I do for you?"

"Someone has requested you for a private dance," Erwin replies. "They're in Room Two waiting for you."

"Okay," Armin says trying to sound cheerful. He hates private dances. It's just him and one other person and there is no security to stop them from trying something he's not cool with. "I'll just get changed and be right there."

"Good," Erwin says, that smirk still gracing his lips. "He's paying a lot of money for you so make sure you show him something extra special."

"How much is he paying?" Armin asks, his curiosity getting the better of him as he tries to gage just how 'extra special' he has to go.

"Five hundred," Erwin casually replies.

"Five hundred!"

"As I said make sure you give him something extra special," Erwin says giving Armin one more smirk before leaving.

Armin begins to change back into his skin tight jeans and another white shirt. Whoever it is that's paying five hundred for this is going to want something more than would normally constitute a private dance. He gives himself a quick once over in the mirror, rubbing a little concealer over the circles under his eyes – they're a little more noticeable close up – and putting a bit of lip balm on his chapped lips. When he's done he looks over himself. _I guess I don't look too bad..._

He makes his way over to Room Two, pausing outside the door to take a deep composing breath before he pushes it open. The first thing that hits him is those amber eyes. _Of course... Of course it was going to be him, who else would have paid that much money for a dance from me..._ While the shock of those eyes hits him like a kick in the gut he really should have guessed it was him. He gives the man a coy smile as he closes the door behind him.

"Hello again," he says.

"Hey," the man says smiling at him.

"So you came back to see me."

"I said I would, didn't I?"

"True," Armin says. "This time you wanted me all to yourself?"

"What can I say?" the man shrugs with a grin. "Seeing you dance on stage is nice but I wanted a close up."

"And is that all?" Armin asks. This guy seems different to the others – this is already way more conversation he's had with anyone else who has bought him for a dance – so he fells a little more bold. _This guy treats me like I'm human..._

"What do you mean?"

"You just dropped five hundred on me," Armin says, a cheeky smirk playing about his lips. "You must want to do more than just watch me take my clothes off." How far can he push this? The man chuckles softly and Armin realises he can probably push farther.

"I'd settle for your name."

"You know my name," he says.

"Your age then."

"I'm legal if that's what you mean."

"It's not but good to know," the man laughs. "I'm Jean," he says after a pause.

"Pardon?"

"My name is Jean," he says again and Armin's heart skips. _Jean..._ He suddenly imagines that name sighing passed his lips as the man – Jean – pins him to a mattress and fucks him. _Stop it! What are you doing?_

A shaking breath ghosts passed Armin's lips but he doesn't think Jean notices as he swallows. "Let's just keep this professional, shall we?" _Don't think about the fact that it's him, just get on with it..._

Jean shrugs. "If you want."

"Okay," Armin says giving him a small smile before he goes over to the small music system in the corner.

"Do I make you nervous?" Jean asks and Armin doesn't have to look at him to know that there is a smirk on his impossibly handsome face.

"No." _Yes._ "Why? Do you think you do?"

"A little."

"Very arrogant of you."

Jean chuckles and Armin can feel those eyes see right through him. "What can I say? I guess I'm arrogant then."

"You're definitely different," Armin says under his breath as the music begins to blare from the speakers. He doesn't think Jean heard him because he makes no indication that he has. He takes a deep breath – _professional_ – and turns to face Jean, looking seductively at him from under his fringe.

Jean's breath hitches and Armin allows the small twinge of pride to twist its way into a smirk. Making a man like Jean beg is going to be a lot more fun than a regular private dance. He saunters over to him, his hips swaying in time with the music. Any nerves he had felt about being in such close proximity to the amber eyed man who seemed intent on turning his world on its head are gone in an instant as soon as he hears the music. This is what he does, this is his job and he's damn good at it.

He drops to his knees in front of Jean's chair and he has to admit seeing Jean's eyes cloud over with hungry desire is incredibly satisfying. It's not the same look that he gets from other punters – it's not what pleasure he can get out of Armin but what gasps and moans he can pull out of him as he brings him pleasure. He places his hands on Jean's thighs and gives the firm muscles a gentle squeeze.

"You look so good like this," Jean says, his voice raspy and deep and it sends a jolt through Armin's body.

"What? On my knees?" he asks, expecting that to be the response.

"Well yeah," Jean chuckles, "but I meant that look you've got in your eye when you're dancing."

"Oh..." _Always with the surprises..._

Armin teases his bottom lip between his teeth as he shakes off the impact of Jean's words (only slightly successfully) and sits back on his heels. With eyes locked on Jean's, and slightly trembling fingers because of it, he begins to undo the buttons of his shirt. He loves the look that flickers over Jean's face as he slowly reveals his chest button by button and he has to remind himself, once again, that he has to keep things professional.

With his shirt open he pushes himself to his feet and slides onto Jean's lap, his back pressing against Jean's chest. He shouldn't be wishing to feel Jean's muscles through his clothes. He shouldn't but he is and he knows that he has to keep his thoughts in check – _any kind of arousal will be so obvious in these jeans..._

Hands twitch to touch as he begins to grind himself against Jean's lap like he does when he works a pole. "Hands at your sides," he orders.

"Yes Sir," Jean chuckles and Armin feels a small jolt at how good that sounds. _Fucking stop it! This is such a bad train of thought to hop on so stop it._

While chastising himself Armin suddenly remembers what Erwin said to him – to give Jean something extra as he's paying so much. He takes Jean's hands, trying to ignore how strong they feel compared to his, and places them on his hips as he undulates them in time with the music.

"You can touch when I say you can," Armin says shooting a grin over his shoulder.

"I'll take that," Jean says, gripping the hips beneath his hands a little harder.

Armin's breath hitches but it isn't noticeable. He's glad. Normally whoever he's dancing for isn't allowed to touch him unless they pay enough but he doesn't altogether mind having Jean's hands on him.

After a bit more grinding Armin removes Jean's hands from his hips and gets to his feet. He shrugs out of the open shirt as if it's nothing, letting it fall to the floor before turning to face Jean. He watches those eyes stare intently at his hand as he runs it down his chest to the buttons on his jeans. He pops them open and, with a seductive wriggle of his hips, slips them off leaving him in only his tight boxers. He seats himself back on Jean's lap and starts to grind again.

Without his cloths he can feel more of the body beneath him and he can't help but admit that it feels fantastic. Neither of them say a word – _keep it professional and I've already spoken way more than with a normal client_ – but the harsh breath in his ear tells Armin that Jean is enjoy it. He continues to dance until a knock at the door indicates their time is up.

Armin gets off Jean's lap and goes to turn off the music. He's about to collect his discarded clothes when he turns and finds himself face to face with Jean. His heart begins to pound and he hopes that Jean can't hear it, that would be so embarrassing. True to form of always surprising him Jean takes Armin's hand and presses a gentle kiss to the back of it.

"Thank you," he says, looking directly into Armin's eyes, "for the dance."

"N... no problem," Armin says breathlessly. He wants to say that he's just doing his job but he can't bring himself too. _No one has ever treated me like this guy before..._

Giving him one last smile Jean leaves and all Armin can do is stand there for a moment before he grabs his clothes and hastily dresses. He darts back to the safety of his dressing room and presses himself up against the closed door. He rubs his hand over his face, trying to forget about what just happened even though the back of his hand is still tingling from Jean's lips. _No one's looked at me like that in so long, not even Reiner..._

That thought hits him like a truck. _Reiner... I'm with Reiner..._ Armin shakes his head, pushing himself off the door and going over to look at himself in the mirror. He's not too red, thank god. Maybe no one noticed. _No more of this... I need to get my head back in the game and focus... I probably won't see him again so it's fine..._


	5. A Tough Decision To Make

**Morning everybody, hope you're well. This is where everything starts to go to hell in a hand-basket. Enjoy :D**

Much like all of Armin's assumptions involving Jean, his assumption that he wouldn't see him again was dead wrong. A week after their last meeting Erwin sends him to Room Two for another private dance and, this time, Armin isn't the least bit surprised to see that it is Jean waiting for him. Once again Erwin had told him how much the client was paying so Armin had guessed it was Jean. He wonders what it is Jean does for a living to be able to afford to casually spend a grand on private dances from a stripper but, as long as the money is coming in, he isn't going to question it too much.

Jean sits in the chair in the centre of the room, looking as calm, collected and gorgeous as ever, as Armin closes the door behind himself, cutting out the rest of the world. Jean smiles at him and his stomach flips.

"Hey," Jean said, his voice smooth and silky.

"H... hi," Armin says and immediately curses himself for stammering.

"We really must stop meeting like this," Jean says with a grin.

Armin lets out a soft huff of laughter. "I'd hardly call these meetings random though, seeing as you keep coming to my place of work."

"True," Jean shrugs.

There is a pause, tension beginning to creep into the air. Armin feels his nerves begin to slither along his skin and he needs to say something before it gets even worse.

"So you must really like me to drop another five hundred on me like this," he says.

Jean shrugs. "I think you're worth it."

Armin's heart stops. He feels as if someone has just dumped a bucket of ice cold water over him but he ignores the feeling quickly. Damn Jean and his ability to say just the right thing to make Armin forget about the fact that he's being paid for this.

"Oh do you now?"

"I do."

Armin swallows the lump rising in his throat. "Why?"

"Fishing for compliments are we?" Jean asks with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"I'm just curious," Armin replies with a shrug.

"You already know how stunning I think you are," Jean says.

"You have been very vocal about that," Armin says as he pushes himself off the door and goes over to the music system in the corner.

"Well it's true," Jean says. "I could watch you all day long if I was able to."

Armin notes how he doesn't say he could watching him dance, just that he could watch him. He lets out a silent, slightly shaking breath as he turns the music on and it begins to filter through the speakers. He plasters a playful smirk on his face and turns to Jean.

"Well I guess you're in luck then," he says. He saunters over to Jean, undoing the buttons on his shirt as he does.

Jean stares, transfixed, as Armin finishes undoing his shirt, shrugs it off and tosses it in Jean's direction. He runs a hand down his chest to the top of his jeans. He teases the waistband, rolling his hips in time with the music before moving to undo them.

"Leave them on," Jean says.

Armin raises an eyebrow at him. "Don't you want to see me take them off?"

"Not yet," Jean says. He worries his bottom lip with his teeth and Armin has to admit the sight is hot. _We've been over this already, stop thinking about him like that – he's a client!_

"Well I guess I'll just have to do something else then," he says seductively and sinks to his knees in front of Jean. He places his hands on Jean's thighs, gripping the firm flesh, before running them down to his knees, spreading Jean's legs and settling between them.

Jean visibly swallows as Armin's hands and face inch closer to his crotch. Armin sees his hands twitch, knowing Jean wants to touch him, but he's going to be the one doing the touching tonight. He pushes himself up, making sure to roll his body as close to Jean's as possible, before he straddles his hips. He begins to grind his hips down over Jean's, keeping perfect time with the music. A hand rises so that Armin can trail a gentle fingertip down the column of Jean's neck. Jean lets out a very shaky exhale and his eyes slip closed for a second, visibly shuddering at Armin's touch.

Armin chuckles at the sight. "Enjoying yourself?"

"God yes," Jean groans as Armin's fingertips ghost down his chest, over his shirt. Armin leans closer, his face mere inches away from Jean's. He can smell Jean's aftershave and he feels his brain clouding a little but he pushes it down and carries on, his hand getting lower. Jean hisses through his teeth as Armin's fingers brush over the top of his belt and Armin allows himself to smirk at the sight.

"Want me to take my jeans off now?" he asks, feigning innocence.

"I might die," Jean chuckles weakly, "but yes."

The urge to just lean forward slightly and brush his lips against Jean's is almost overpowering but, aside from the fact that it would be incredibly unprofessional if he did, he is spoken for. He tries not to think about how terrible he has been recently, letting himself drift into fantasies of Jean when he is with Reiner and has been with Reiner for a while now. There's just something about Jean that makes Armin's head spin though.

He pushes himself off Jean's lap and undoes his jeans. Turning, he gives Jean a spectacular view of his backside as he slips the jeans down and off. He hears Jean's breath hitch and it feels so good knowing that he can reduce him to as much of a mess as Jean leaves him.

Clad in just his skin tight boxer shorts he sits himself back on top of Jean's lap, this time with his back to Jean's chest. He begins to grind his hips down again and this time he hears the groan that rips from Jean's throat. Armin bites the inside of his cheek and composes himself as much as he possibly can. He both does and doesn't want this dance to end, which is a new experience for him as, more often than not, he just wants it to be over as soon as possible.

The knock on the door to indicate that their time is up jolts him back to the real world and he reluctantly prises himself off Jean and turns the music off. He waits for a second to see if his heart calms down but the presence of Jean suddenly behind him makes him turn. Jean is so close and, now that he is standing in front of him, rather than sitting, Armin feels his breath stop. _He's so tall..._ Once again Jean takes his hand and kisses the back of it.

"Thank you," he says, just like last time.

"No problem," Armin's voice is more breath than word and it catches in his throat as Jean gives his hand a small squeeze and with that he's gone.

Armin lets out the breath he didn't realise he was holding before he begins to redress. What is it about that man that makes him totally forget all his principles? What is it that makes him think irrationally and want to say screw professionalism? What is it that makes him forget, even if only for a moment, that he's already in a relationship with someone else? He decides to chalk it up to temporary insanity and only indulge in it while he and Jean are in the same room.

He doesn't have a lot of time to dwell on it before there's another knock at the door and Gunther sticks his head in.

"Azure Mr Smith wants to see you in his office," he says, his expression never changing from the indifferent mask it always is but Armin feels as if he's been handed a death warrant.

"S... sure thing," he says, his voice strained and breathy.

Whether Gunther notices this or not he makes no other response before disappearing again. Armin can feel himself begin to tremble. _Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!_ What could Erwin possibly want to see him about? Whatever it is Armin has no idea and he doesn't imagine that it's going to be a pleasant conversation. _Not for me anyway..._

He toys with the idea of going to get changed – this was his last dance of the night and he may not want to stick around for too long after this – but he thinks better of it. Get it over with as fast as possible and then he can retreat to the safety of his dressing room if he needs to compose himself.

Dread twists his stomach into knots as he makes his way over to Erwin's office and he fights the urge to be sick as he knocks on the door. The smooth 'come in' from inside chills him to the core and, with all the courage he can muster, he pushes the door open.

Erwin is sitting behind his desk looking a suave and put together as always. He smirks. "Ah Armin, close the door behind you."

Armin does and goes to stand in front of Erwin's desk. Erwin doesn't offer him a seat and he doesn't take one.

"Gunther said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Erwin says, the smirk on his lips looking anything but comforting and Armin tries to swallow his nerves. _This is worse than being in a room with Jean..._ "Now, as I'm sure you are aware, these are hard time in Shinganshina and we need to start pulling in more money if we don't all want to be out of jobs."

 _And by we you mean the rest of us._ "Okay."

"So I have had to make an executive decision about how I am going to run this club from now on."

"Okay." It's all Armin can bring himself to say. _What is he scheming this time?_

"I will be requiring all of the dancers to offer extra services to their clients," Erwin says.

"Extra services?" _What the hell does that mean?_

"I will be requiring you to offer sex to your clients as well as what you already offer," Erwin says calmly.

 _What?!_

 _What the actual fuck?!_

"Pardon?" Armin is proud of himself for sounding as calm as he does. _What the fuck is he thinking? This is illegal!_

"We will pull in more money this way, which means more tips and you will get paid a higher wage," Erwin says.

 _Only if I start fucking for money..._

"I... I need to talk to my partner about this," Armin finally says. This isn't like a harmless fantasy about Jean every so often, this is actually having sex with people who aren't Reiner and accepting money for it to boot.

"You can chose not to accept if you wish," Erwin says, "however it will mean a lot less money for you if you continue as a simple dancer. There is a lot of money to be made in–"

"Prostitution," Armin cuts him off.

Erwin chuckles. "Don't think of it as prostitution. Think of it as an added extra people can pay for if they desire."

"Right..."

"I will be enforcing this new policy by the end of the week and all those not willing to accept the offer will lose out," Erwin says.

 _Giving us the semblance of choice_ , Armin thinks derisively. "I said I'd talk to my partner about it," he says. "This isn't a decision I can make on my own, you understand,"

This is a decision he can make on his own – he doesn't want to fuck other people for money – but he can't imagine that Erwin is going to accept that as an answer. He'll push and push until he gets the answer he wants. Hopefully he and Reiner can come up with an excuse that will get Erwin off his back. Sure the money is going to be better but it's never been something he wanted to entertain as an option.

Erwin's smirk only seems to twist and make Armin even more uncomfortable. "That's fine but I'll need your answer by the end of the week."

"Okay."

"You may go," Erwin tells him.

"Thank you," Armin nods and makes his way out of the office as calmly as he possibly can. His composure lasts until he is back in his dressing room with the door closed and he pounds his fist against the wall until his knuckles split and warm blood begins to trickle down his fingers as tears begin to spill down his cheeks.

 _How is this getting so fucked up?_


	6. Just Listen--- Or Not

**Morning guys, another chapter before I do a ten hour shift. All I will say is I'm sorry Armin. Hope you enjoy :)**

When Armin gets home it's nearly one in the morning and he feels a sinking in his stomach when he sees the light on in the kitchen, indicating that Reiner is both home and still awake. _That means_ _I have to tell him..._ He doesn't want to have this conversation, he really doesn't want to have this conversation but he has to. He will need to give Erwin an answer eventually and he is going to have to have one convincing enough that it will get him off his back for a while. Still doesn't mean he wants to talk about it because talking about it feels a hell of a lot like entertaining the notion as a valid option.

He takes a deep breath as he pulls his keys out of his pocket and, with trembling fingers, unlocks the door. _Just do it, just get it over with quickly..._ He locks the door behind him and, bracing his hand against the wall, begins to unlace his boots.

"I'm home," he calls softly, almost praying that he's wrong and that Reiner is already asleep, he just forgot to turn the kitchen light off.

No dice.

Reiner steps out into the hallway and leans against the door frame. "Welcome home," he says. "Good shift?"

"Same old really," Armin shrugs as he kicks off his boots and drops his bag. _Ease into it, can't blurt it out first thing._ "How was yours?"

"Tiring," Reiner replies, "but I got paid today so I don't care that much."

"That's good," Armin smiles.

"Have you had another chance to talk to Smith about an advance?" Reiner asks.

Armin deflates. "Y... yeah I need to talk to you about that." _So much for easing into it..._

"That sounds ominous," Reiner says, "everything alright?" He closes the distance between the two of them and Armin suddenly feels very claustrophobic. _He's too close. I need him to not be so I can think straight..._

"Erwin called me into his office this evening..."

"Yeah?" Reiner presses as Armin tails off.

"There's a few changes he's going to be making to the club and he wants me to go along with them."

"Yeah?"

Deep breath. "He wants me to start having sex with the customers as well."

Silence.

Armin had expected Reiner to at least say something, not just stare at him with the most unreadable expression on his face. _What is he thinking? Why is he just staring at me like that?_ The silence stretches on for too long and Armin can feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes. He can't take much more of this.

"Say something, please," he says, voice cracking.

"It's not a terrible idea,"" Reiner finally says.

"What?"

"I mean we really need the money and it's just sex right?"

"What?!" Armin is struggling not to succumb to the tears that are already threatening to spill. _He can't be serious?_

"You will get paid more right?" Reiner asks.

"Well Erwin says I will but I don't know how much I trust him to keep his word on that," Armin says.

"As long as it's more than you're getting now then it's okay, right?" Reiner shrugs.

Why is he being so flippant about this? The urge to cry is suddenly gone and replaced with anger. Armin glares up at Reiner.

"You can't be serious," he says. "You can't actually be telling me that you'd be happy with me having sex with other people."

"It's just sex though," Reiner shrugs again.

"Oh my god!" Armin shakes his head in disbelief and brushes past Reiner to head towards the kitchen. _I can't be around him right now..._ Reiner doesn't give him the chance to get some much needed space and follows him.

"What's the problem?" he asks.

"I should think it should be obvious!" Armin hisses, rounding on him.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to do this!" Armin cries. "I don't want to start having sex with people for money. That was never an option!"

"But _think_ of the money thought," Reiner says. "We wouldn't have to struggle for a while. We could have rent when we need it and we could save up so you wouldn't have to do it after a few months."

When he puts it like that it doesn't sound like such a terrible idea... but it's still the one thing Armin never wanted to do.

"It would only be for a month or two at most," Reiner says. "I can pick up as many shifts as possible and we just continue living tight so we can save. It doesn't have to be forever."

"I guess that could work," Armin sighs, his resolve already beginning to break, "but are you sure you'd be okay with it because I don't think I would be."

"You thought that about the stripping at first," Reiner point out.

"I suppose so..." He wasn't wrong. Armin had had reservations about taking his clothes off for money, rationalising that it wasn't sex so it wasn't too bad, but that isn't the point. There is no way of rationalising it away this time but, if Reiner was right and he only had to do it for a month or so in order for them to save, then maybe he could...

Reiner cups Armin's chin and tilts his head up so that he has to look at him. "I know it's shit right now but it won't be like this forever," he says.

Armin wants to believe him, he really does. "I just don't think I'm comfortable with the idea of sleeping with someone who isn't you," he says in a small voice. How did it suddenly turn like this? How did it turn so that he's actually considering this now?

Reiner presses a kiss to his forehead, after gently brushing his fringe aside. "I'll still be here," he says. "I'll be here to look after you when you get home. It won't be forever, I promise you."

Pressure on both sides has Armin's resolve cracking. Tiny hairline cracks that mean when he finally breaks he shatters like thousands of tiny shards of glass. He feels Reiner's big, strong arms wrap around him, pulling him close to his chest.

"I love you," he whispers and Armin shatters. Tears prick the corners of his eyes again but he swallows them down. _Don't make me do this then!_

"Well I guess if it is just sex..." he says after a deep, steadying breath. "And if it isn't going to be forever..."

Reiner pulls back, tilts Armin's head up again and presses a soft kiss to his lips. "Everything will be alright, I promise you."

 _Will it though? I mean I guess it could work but I'm still not sure._ Armin worries his bottom lip as Reiner looks at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. He sighs.

"I'll go talk to Erwin tomorrow and tell him I'll do it," he says. He can't quite bring himself to look at Reiner. He feels dirty, tainted somehow, and he wants nothing more than to crawl inside himself and block it all out. He's already started to retreat into his own head when a tender hand brushes his hair behind his ear. Finally he looks up to see Reiner's lips mere inches from his. The hand moves to cup his cheek and Reiner runs his thumb over his bottom lip.

"As long as mine are the only lips you're kissing," he says before closing the distance between them and brushing his lips against Armin's, a subtle hint of a kiss.

Despite everything it's still a kiss that makes Armin's knees a little weak and he allows Reiner's hand to slip round the back of his neck, deepening it. He parts his lips as Reiner nips his bottom lip, allowing that tongue to completely dominate his. Does he want this? Does he really want to sleep with Reiner after all this? _Reiner actually thinks it's a good idea for me to fuck other people for money... Jean wouldn't have wanted me to..._

Armin pulls away suddenly, eyes wide. _What? Where did that come from?_ He doesn't know if that is any way true of not but he should not be thinking of Jean at a time like this. He can feel himself trembling as he looks up at Reiner.

"Are you okay?" he asks, noticing the sudden change.

"I'm sorry," Armin says, "I just... I don't know if I can do this right now."

Reiner's arms wrap around Armin's tiny frame. "How about I make you feel better?"

"What?"

"I can make you feel amazing," Reiner says pressing a light kiss to just below Armin's ear, "if you let me."

He really doesn't feel up to it but Reiner's lips and the hand teasing under the hem of his t-shirt and hoodie are insistent. He could protest till he was blue in the face but he doubts Reiner would listen to him right now. Teeth lightly scrape against his neck and he does allow himself to melt a little. _Maybe this will take my mind off things..._

A hand slips under Armin's clothes before two fingers begin to tease the waistband of his tracksuit trousers. "Reiner!" he gasps, his breathy voice ghosting the shell of Reiner's ear while that hand slips into his trouser to palm his cock, coaxing him to semi-hard.

Breathy moans and whimpers leave Armin's lips as Reiner continues to palm him through his boxers. He's trying his best to stay in the moment and not think about the conversation they just had or the one he is undoubtedly going to have to have with Erwin tomorrow. Reiner's lingering kisses to his lips, neck and jaw are helping somewhat but not completely, he still feels a tiny bit sick to his stomach.

"So gorgeous," Reiner whispers before he pulls his hand out of Armin's trousers to make short work of his hoodie and t-shirt.

The hands are back on him as soon as he's out of his clothes and Reiner takes the opportunity too lavish attention on both Armin's nipples at the same time. A knee comes up to press against his semi-hard erection and the fractured pieces of Armin's resilience begin to crack even further.

"Reiner..." he pants placing his hands on Reiner's huge shoulders in a futile attempt to stop him. "Here?"

"The blinds are closed," Reiner says between kisses. "No one can see us."

"O... okay," Armin says quietly. He's not wrong, no one can see them but that's not what's really eating away at him. He lets his hands drop from Reiner's shoulders and watches as he strips his shirt off and tosses it to the floor with Armin's discarded clothes.

With both of their shirts off Reiner pulls Armin tightly against him, kissing him fiercely, and Armin has to admit that the skin on skin contact is very nice. Those hands slowly creep down to the top of Armin's tracksuit trousers and begin to push them down.

Armin's breath hitches but he doesn't try to stop him again. He lets his hands hang uselessly at his sides and Reiner doesn't seem to notice that he's not participating. He should start. If he's actually going to fuck other people for money he really needs to learn how to fake it. Trembling fingers begin to undo Reiner's belt and jeans. _The faster I do this, the faster it's over..._

Reiner takes a step back in order to remove his jeans and boxers before stripping Armin of the last of his clothes as well. It feels strange, doing this in the kitchen, and Armin wants to cover himself but Reiner links their fingers, pushing Armin against the wall. Lips find purchase on his neck and Reiner's hands go to grasp his backside, making Armin gasp.

"W... wait," he cries as those strong hands begin to pull his cheeks apart. _He's not going to do this dry is he?_ "Do you have lube or anything on you or..."

Reiner smirks. He gives Armin's lips a quick kiss before he goes to his discarded jeans. He rummages in the back pocket before he pulls out a condom and a bottle of lube. "I bought them with me," Reiner says, "I've been thinking about fucking you against the wall for a while now, thought tonight would be the perfect opportunity if you're up for that."

"O... okay."

"Turn around then."

Armin does as he's told. He hears Reiner squirt lubricant onto his hand and braces his own against the wall, willing himself to relax, as the first finger slips into him. It does feel good – _Reiner knows just how to make me weak_ – but whenever he gets too lost in the sensations ugly thoughts start creeping into his mind. _This is what I'll have to get used to and knowing it's not going to be Reiner..._

He barely notices as a second finger is added until Reiner gives them a hard thrust into his prostate and Armin cries out. It does feel good, he keeps telling himself. _It does feel good I swear..._ Reiner's fingers pull out and Armin hears the condom wrapper tearing open, then the sound of latex against skin and more lubricant. He turns to see Reiner stroking himself, covering himself in the lubricant. Once he's done he cups the back of Armin's head and pulls him into another kiss. He grabs Armin's backside and picks him up. Armin's legs immediately wrap around his waist.

"Oh god Reiner," Armin moans softly as Reiner sheaths himself inside him. He's pressed right up against the door, his arms wrapping around Reiner's neck as he begins to thrust up into him after a few seconds.

"Fuck Armin," Reiner hisses, "you feel so good."

Light moans and whimpers begin to increase in volume as Reiner slams into Armin's prostate. They haven't tried this before and the new angle would feel fantastic if Armin's thoughts weren't so preoccupied. It's still good but there's a barrier between them and Armin's the only one that notices.

"You close?" Reiner asks between stilted breaths.

"Yeah," Armin lies. He just needs a little more... He tightens his grip on Reiner's shoulder with one arm while his other hand goes to pump his own cock. That's enough to push him over the edge, especially as Reiner stills inside him and cums. Armin cums a few pumps later, covering his chest in white. Both of them are panting, desperate for breath, as Reiner pulls out and sets Armin down on the floor. He presses a hot kiss to Armin's lips before gathering his clothes. He hasn't noticed how watery Armin's eyes are or how unresponsive he was when they fucked and Armin kind of hates him for it.


	7. Trial Or Error

**Morning! Let's a nice bit of horrific porn on a Sunday morning. Just as a warning this chapter contains some daddy kink, in case it's not your thing (I grossed myself out writing that one, it ain't really my thing either) Other than that, hope you enjoy :)**

If Armin had felt nervous talking to Reiner then walking to Erwin's office the next evening after his shift feels like he's walking up the steps to the gallows. There is a part of him that still can't believe he's doing this but he is and he doesn't really feel as if he has much of a choice in the matter. Erwin wants him to do it, Reiner wants him to do it. The only one who doesn't want him to do it is him.

He takes a deep breath and knocks on Erwin's office door. He's not totally ready for it but he doesn't think he ever will be so he stands there and waits until he hears Erwin's deep voice telling him to enter. He pushes the door open and really has to force his legs to move. Just the same as he had the night before Erwin looks up from his papers and smirks at him.

"Ah Armin," he says as he puts his pen down, "do come in." Armin closes the door behind him. He can't quite bring himself to say anything yet. Erwin decides to fill the silence. "Have you had a chance to think about my proposal?

"Y... yeah," Armin stammers. He feels sick, cold fear creeping up the back of his neck.

"And?"

Armin swallows but it's not enough to rid himself of that fear. "I'll do it," he says finally, "but only if they're going to pay me more than they would for a private dance."

A smirk twists its way onto Erwin's lips and it occurs to Armin that Erwin never looks at him without it.

"Of course we can negotiate a rate," Erwin says, his eyes raking Armin's frame, "but I am very glad you have decided to accept."

"Yeah well..." Armin mumbles shrugging. There isn't really anything else that he can say. He hasn't accepted this, he's just going along with it because everyone else is pushing him to. "So when do you want me to start doing this then?"

"The end of the week," Erwin says.

"Okay." _I can do that... gives me the rest of the week to mentally prepare._

"But first, I believe a trial run is in order," Erwin says.

Armin blinks at him. "Pardon?" Trial run? _What does he mean by trial run?_

"Well I need to make sure that the clients will be satisfied," Erwin says.

"Right..." Armin says elongating the word. He gets that. Erwin made him do the same thing when he first started stripping. How on earth would he even do a trial run for... _Oh..._ The penny finally drops, almost a second too late.

"I'll say it plainly so there's not confusion: I'm going to fuck you, just to see if you're good enough."

 _Of course._

Armin's not an idiot, far from it in fact. He's seem the way Erwin looks at him; he's been looking for this excuse for a very long time. He could back down and say no but then Erwin would find some other way to use Armin's new found career path as a way to be able to stick his dick in him and he's unlikely to pay him for it either way. There is no possible way that he can get out of doing this. If he says no Erwin would probably just flat out fire him anyway so, once again, he find himself with absolutely no choice in the matter whatsoever.

 _Fuck!_

"So what is your answer Armin? Erwin asks raising an eyebrow at him and Armin realises he hasn't said anything for the past couple of minutes.

He takes a deep breath. "How do you want to do this?" He's very proud of the fact that his voice doesn't crack but it doesn't sound like his voice anymore.

Erwin's smirk widens and his eyes darken with lust. He presses a remote on top of his desk. Music begins to blare through the speakers and a sinking feeling fills Armin's stomach. He looks over at Erwin who is reclining back in his chair and looking at him like he's going to devour him, but not in a good way.

"How about you give me a quick show of your routine but take all your clothes off for me," Erwin says.

"And then?"

"And then you can come over here and bend over the desk," Erwin purrs.

Swallowing a wave of abject revulsion Armin begins to undulate his hips in time with the music as he teases the hem of his t-shirt up slightly. He's having to improvise as he would normally be wearing different clothes if he were on stage but Erwin doesn't seem to be overly bothered. He pulls his t-shirt off, tossing it to the side, before running his hands over his chest, down his stomach to the top of his tracksuit trousers.

He really wished there was a way for him to draw this out more – he's not mentally prepared to do this, not yet – but when you're doing a strip tease with only three items of clothing there's only so long you can stretch it out. Armin turns as he slips his trousers down, partially to give Erwin a good view of his backside and partially so that he doesn't have to look at him.

Normally this would be where the stripping part of the routine ends and Armin would just dance clad in only his boxers but this isn't a normal routine. He sways his hips in time with the music, putting on a show for his audience of one as he works up the courage to finally take off his last item of clothing. Swallowing nerves and another wave of disgust Armin rids himself of his boxers.

Erwin's eyes light up and Armin has to fight the urge to cover himself, his cheeks alight with shame. "Good," Erwin purrs as his gaze burns holes into Armin's flesh. "Now come here."

Without a word Armin does. His legs feel like lead but he somehow makes it over to Erwin's desk where he is unceremoniously shoved, face first onto the cold, hard wood. He tries not to flinch as he feels Erwin's hands grab his backside, massaging his cheeks, pulling them apart and moulding them how he wishes.

"So pretty," Erwin muses to himself. He gives Armin's backside a hard smack and Armin bites the inside of his lips to stop himself from crying out. "Now I have one more request of you tonight."

"Yes?"

Erwin looms over him and Armin can feel his weight pressing him down into the desk. Erwin's breath hits his ear and Armin tries not to shiver with disgust.

"Tonight, I want you to call me Daddy."

Armin's heart stops and another wave of nausea hits him. Swallowing both pride and revulsion Armin forces his voice to work. "Yes Daddy." He's incredibly proud of himself that he manages to say it without stammering but he feels utterly disgusted with himself.

"Good," Erwin says and Armin doesn't have to look at him to know that he's still smirking.

Armin shuts his eyes and clenches his fists against the desk. He hears the sound of a zip being pulled down and the rustle of fabric loud and clear over the music. He listens, on the alert, as Erwin opens a draw, rummages around a moment before closing it again. He doesn't want to look over his shoulder, he doesn't want to know what is happening. The sound of Erwin tearing open a packet and the sound of latex snapping against skin tells him enough.

The next sound that meets his ears is lube being squirted from a tube. Armin braces himself against the desk as he feels one of Erwin's fingers pushing into him. Armin tries to relax as best he can, breathing through the odd feeling of knowing that the person behind him isn't Reiner. _One... two... three... four..._ He counts through it as Erwin adds a second finger then a third, slowly thrusting in and out. He's drawing this out. He wants Armin under his control for as long as possible – this has nothing to do with making Armin feel good – and it makes Armin feel sick.

Suddenly the fingers are gone and Armin can feel the tip of Erwin's dick pressing into him. Next thing he knows Erwin's body is pressed against his back.

"Tell me what you want Armin," he whispers.

 _You to get the fuck off me._ "I want you to fuck me Daddy," he says through gritted teeth. The faster gets it out the way with, the faster he can leave.

Erwin waists no time after that. He sheaths himself inside Armin, beginning to thrust without giving him time to adjust. Armin tries to breath through it. He's not getting anything out of this but Erwin doesn't notice, or particularly care so he just clenches his fists, blunt nails digging into his palms, as he waits for it to be over.

"So fucking tight," Erwin hisses as he begins to really pound into Armin, his fingers gripping hard enough to bruise.

The thrusts become more erratic and after a few more minutes Armin feels Erwin still inside him as he cums. He feels like vomiting again but he manages to swallows the bile rising in the back of his throat. Erwin gives his backside another hard slap before pulling out.

"You're good enough," he says. "Be a bit more responsive next time; the clients will want you to be more vocal and you'll be requited to do other things to them as well."

"Okay," Armin says, his voice barely above a whisper. He can't bring himself to move yet as he hears Erwin pull the condom off – _thank fuck he actually used one_ – and zip his trousers up again.

There is a moment of silence before "You're dismissed."

Without a word Armin grabs his clothes and hastily pulls them on. He darts to the door. He casts a glance over his shoulder to see if Erwin wants him for anything else but he has already turned back to the papers they just fucked on. Armin pulls the door open and leaves. On shaking legs he walks out, closing the door behind him.

He's alone in the corridor, _thank fuck_ , and he begins to walk, drifting more than actually acknowledging where he is going. His feet take him to the nearest toilet where he suddenly comes back to life. He practically runs into one of the stalls, sinks to his knees in front of the porcelain and is violently sick. He continues to vomit, expelling everything in his stomach until he's just dry heaving before he flushes the toilet, pushes himself to his feet and goes to wash his face. He doesn't look at himself when he's done, he just leaves. He doesn't think he'd be able to without slamming his fist into his own reflection.


	8. A Sin Without A Name

**Morning guys, thought I'd edit and upload this now as I'm about to go and do my busiest day at work (aside from Christmas... kill me now). Anyway hope you enjoy :D**

It's only for a little while. That's what he keeps telling himself – _it's only for a little while_ – but after two weeks word has spread and no one seems to want just dances anymore. They want to fuck him. He hasn't seem Jean for a while ( _maybe his cash flow finally ran out_ , he thinks wryly) but maybe that's a good thing. He doesn't know how he would deal if the one person who he didn't want to know he was a prostitute did.

Prostitute...

That's just what he is now, there are no two ways about it. He fucks people for money and accepts what they pay him – the very definition of a prostitute. The club is basically a brothel now. Armin can't think of a single person (except the security guards) who doesn't fuck for cash. He couldn't work up the nerve to ask any of the others if Erwin made then do a 'trial run' too. He almost doesn't want to know. The fact that he had to still makes his skin crawl.

He tries not to think about it too much and every time he does he feels sick but he doesn't have time for the self-loathing spiral tonight as a knock at the door signals he has to go back to work.

"Come in," he calls as seductively as he can. He's gotten very good at faking it over the last two weeks, maybe a little too good. He can't even remember the last time he felt something genuine other than something negative.

The door opens to reveal a tall, nervous looking man, his blond hair pulled back into a low top-knot. He has a nice face (which makes a change) and under other circumstance Armin may have even found him attractive, especially with the tiny goatee he's got going on. Armin smiles at him – fake of course – as the man closes the door behind himself.

"H... hi," he stammers.

"Hello," Armin says as he slowly saunters towards the man. "It's not to meet you, I'm Azure."

"Eld," the man says.

"Eld," Armin says letting the name roll off his tongue. The lilting tone of his voice seems to make Eld's knees a little weak and Armin can't deny knowing that he has this effect on people is a bit of a confidence boost, always has been. "So Eld where would you like me?"

"Um... well..." Eld stammers. "You see, I've never done this before so..."

"So we can take it slow," Armin says. He's gotten so good at being able to separate himself from a given situation and when he speaks it almost doesn't sound like his voice. "How about I ease you into it, free of charge?" Another thing Erwin has told him to do when it looks as if a customer need a little incentive.

"Okay..." Eld says, his voice a breathy whisper that lodges in his throat as Armin sinks to his knees in front of him.

This is second nature to him now. This is just another part of this job he thinks as he undoes Ed's belt. He feels Eld stiffen as he unzips his jeans and works his cock free from his boxers. He doesn't usually do this – _don't want to catch anything if I can avoid it_ – despite the screening that he's told all clients have to go through it's a good excuse. This time he'll make an excuse. This time he'll make an exception – he's not sure why but, in this instant, he will. Call it temporary insanity, call it needing to feel in control for one, call it anything to make him forget what it actually is.

He lets his mouth fall open and his tongue lick a strip along the underside of Eld's cock. Eld stiffens again underneath him and lets out a strangled groan as Armin takes as much of his cock into his mouth as possible, taking it right to the back of his throat. Another groan and Armin feels Eld's fingers tangle in his loose hair. If he closes his eyes he can just about imagine that it's Reiner but, realistically, that stopped working a long time ago.

The fingers in his hair tighten as he gives Eld another hard suck and before he knows what's happening he is harshly yanked off Eld's cock. He looks up at him with innocent blue eyes and half expects Eld to cum over his face but he doesn't.

"How was that?" he asks.

"Holy shit," Eld pants and he just about manages to prise his fingers out of Armin's hair.

"So where would you like me?" Armin all but purrs. Thankfully things seem to be moving pretty swiftly, no one ever wants to draw these things out they just want to get inside Armin as quickly as possible.

"Well I kind of like how you look now," Eld says, "on your knees."

"Okay," Armin says, sitting back on his heels and undoing the buttons of his oversized shirt, "we can do that."

Any previous nerves on Eld's part seem to be gone now as he watches Armin shrug his shirt off. He runs his fingers through Armin's hair again, giving it a gentle tug as he does, before undoing the buttons on his own shirt. If this weren't a business transaction there would be kissing but it is so the best Armin does is put on a bit of a show as he takes his boxers off.

Eld's very attractive actually – he's well built, hiding a lot of muscle under that shirt, and Armin has to admit that it does make a nice change. Eld just leaves his shirt open and his cock out of his trousers as he kneels behind Armin. A surprisingly gentle hand caresses his back and it does catch him a little off guard. Whether Eld notices or not Armin doesn't know but he ignores it – it's a business transaction – and gives Eld a smirk over his shoulder. The gasp that leaves Eld's lips as he pushes Armin's cheeks apart does at least give him another small stab of pride.

He's learnt to prepare himself before his client comes in (he learnt that the hard way the first time) and he bites his lip, maintaining eye contact as he slowly pulls a plug out of himself. The rigmarole of the condom and the extra lube goes by quickly and soon enough Eld is thrusting into him. Once it's happening Armin can sort of forget that it is. Retreat inside his own head and occasionally moan to spur Eld on and seem like he's involved.

Eventually, after a series of erratic thrusts, Eld still inside him and cums. He continues to thrust until he's satisfied but wastes no time as he pulls out and cleans himself off. Armin grabs his clothes and pulls them back on as Eld re-dresses as well. There's no reason for either of them to hang around and Armin wants to go get himself cleaned up before the next one. There is one matter that needs to be taken into consideration first.

"So how much do I owe you?" Eld asks once he's dressed.

"Seven hundred," Armin says. Clearly he seems to be pushing it as Eld's brow furrows.

"Sorry, Mr Smith said five hundred before," he says.

Armin's jaw tightens an he forces himself to smile. _God fucking damn it Erwin._ "Sorry, my mistake," he says. "Forgot I said the first bit was free of charge."

"Okay," Eld says. He takes out his wallet and presses a wad of notes into Armin's hand.

"Thanks," Armin smiles and slips the notes into the waistband of his boxers. He toys with the idea of just keeping the lot and not giving it to Erwin for him to take his cut but he knows what would happen if he got caught.

Eld stares at him awkwardly for a moment before he offers a hasty "See you," and leaves. Armin takes a deep breath, holds it and counts to five before leaving himself, knowing that there will be someone on the other side of the door to take his earnings. Sure enough, Gunther is outside to take the money to Erwin. Armin hands it over without fuss before making his way to his dressing room.

Once inside, alone and undisturbed, he sits down in the rickety chair in front of his dressing table, folds his arms on top of the unforgiving surface and buries his head in them. Just like every single other time he's fucked someone for money he feels shame and self-loathing begin to settle in the pit of his stomach. Before he knows it he's crying softly, safe in the knowledge that he doesn't have another client lined up for the evening yet.

The door bursts open and Armin jolts up, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. _I can't let anyone see I've been crying, especially not Erwin._ Having said that there's only one person who opens the door this obnoxiously every time.

"Arrrrrrrrrmiiiiiiiiiin!" Ymir sings as she pushes the door closed behind her. _How can she still sound so cheerful? This is killing me!_

"Hey Ymir," he says, his voice a little thicker than normal. Unfortunately Ymir notices.

She walks over to him. "What's wrong?" she asks, suddenly serious.

"Nothing," Armin lies, shaking his head.

"And the two of us are totally straight," she says as she leans against the edge of the dressing table. "Come on what's wrong? You can tell me."

Armin lets out a shaking breath as he tries to think of the right words. Tears sting his eyes and the words get caught in his throat. "I am... struggling," he says finally.

"I get that," Ymir says quietly, "but this is just how it is now and we've got to deal."

"How are you dealing?" Armin asks. "I mean, no offence or anything, but you sound as chipper as ever."

"I just found something to help me take the edge off," she says.

"Oh yeah?"

Without a word she pulls a small plastic bag out of the back pocket of her tiny denim shorts. Armin stares at it for a moment, it contains a small amount of white powder, before he realises what it is. His eyes widen and his jaw drops.

"Cocaine?" he asks hoarsely.

"I've been dealing on the side," she says. "Before we started getting paid more, when I was just stripping, I started selling just to make ends meet and it's good money."

"You realise that if Erwin catches you with this you'll be beyond fired," he says. Surprisingly Erwin is incredibly strict on drug possession.

Ymir shrugs. "I'm careful," she replies. "Only reason I've got some on me tonight is one of my suppliers also paid for a fuck."

Armin's gaze darts from the bag in her hand to Ymir's face and back again. It would take the edge off and not having to think for a while would be fantastic. He shouldn't though. _That's just another road I never thought I go down..._

"I can't really afford it," he says finally.

"Consider it on the house if you want it," she says. "It's just to take the edge off."

Armin looks between the bag and Ymir again. _It this really a good idea?_ Before his brain can decide one way or another he reaches out and take the bag.

"Thanks," he says. He can't quite meet her eyes, almost as if he's ashamed of his decision and he kind of is.

"Just don't make a habit of it," she says and runs her fingers through his hair. It's comforting and he might start welling up again if she keeps doing that.

"I won't," he says.

"I gotta go," she tells him. "Got my next client coming in in a sec."

"Okay," Armin says. "Good luck."

"See you later," she says. She drops a kiss on the top of his head before she leaves, closing the door behind her.

Now that he's alone Armin immediately opens the bag and lines the cocaine up on the top of the dressing table with shaking hands. As soon as it's spread out in front of him he suddenly stops. Is he... is he actually going to do this? He stares at the cocaine for a moment before that sickening self-loathing begins to creep back as he remembers that Erwin could sell him to someone else at any moment and he's just letting it happen.

He presses one nostril closed, leans his face over the powder and inhales it all quickly, trying not to think about what he's doing. It feels strange and he shakes his head violently once he's done, allowing the shiver to travel down his entire spine and through his body. _Just once_ , he thinks to himself as the shiver passes, _just this one. Don't make a habit of it or you'll end up in even more shit..._


	9. Undeniable

**Morning everyone :D it's been a while since we've had any interaction between Armin and Jean so have at it, poor little bean won't know what's hit him. Hope you enjoy :p**

After a few weeks of his new found profession Armin thinks he's seen enough to no longer be surprised by anything. This is until one evening when he is in Room Two – his usual room – waiting for his next client. The door opens and he sees a face he hasn't done for a while. Jean seems a little surprised to see him already there but he still smiles warmly all the same. Armin tries to smile back but he can't be sure he's not grimacing.

 _God, not you too..._

"Hey stranger," Jean says. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, thought you'd forgotten about me," Armin chuckles even though he feels his heart breaking.

"I don't think I could ever forget about you," Jean says, a light in his eye that makes Armin's stomach instantly flutter, as he closes the door behind himself.

Armin opens his mouth to ask Jean how he's been and continue the conversation but there's no point in dragging this out, not this time. _He's here for a reason... might as well get it over with like everyone else._

"Shall we get started then?" he asks.

"Direct and to the point," Jean chuckles.

Armin saunters over to him, oozing a confidence he isn't feeling in the slightest. "Why not be?" he asks. "It's more fun that way."

He blows Jean a kiss before sinking to his knees in front of him. He looks up into wide amber eyes as he reaches up and begins to undo Jean's belt. It takes a second for Jean to react and Armin just about has the belt completely open when warm hands close around both of his wrists, stopping him in his tracks.

"What are you doing?" Jean asks.

"I was getting things started," Armin replies, blinking at him.

"By taking _my_ jeans off?"

"Well how else do you expect to fuck me?" Armin asks, confused and slightly annoyed. _Why is he pretending he doesn't know?_

"What?!"

"You paid to have sex with me, this shouldn't be a surprise," Armin replies, sitting back on his heels and looking up at Jean.

"God no!" Jean cries. "That's not what I'm here for at all!"

"Then what are you here for?" Armin asks, that irritation seeping further into his voice.

"You!" Jean says. "Nothing else."

"Oh..."

His words hit Armin like he had struck him. He stares up at Jean, his mouth hanging open slightly. _He's literally just here to see me, nothing else, he doesn't expect anything from me..._

A lump begins to rise in Armin's throat but he swallows it down. Jean's grip on his wrists tightens slightly and he pulls Armin to his feet. Armin feels himself shrink slightly under his gaze and he looks at the floor. Jean lets go of one of his wrists and catches his chin, making him look into his eyes.

"You want to tell me what's going on here?" he asks. It's not an accusation, it's not a demand, it's just a question.

Armin looks to a spot just shy of Jean's right ear. He can't look him in the eye when he says this. "This is just what I do now," he admits.

"What?"

"Please don't make me say it out loud," Armin says, voice thick with the effort of not breaking down and crying.

"Why?" Jean asks.

"Are you a cop or something?"

"No," Jean replies but gives nothing else away.

"Then can we just leave it?"

"You don't have to do this, you know," Jean says after a pause.

"Yes I do," Armin says.

"No you don't," Jean says. "You have a choice."

"No I don't," Armin says, that lump forming in his throat again. The hand on his wrist loosen slightly but Jean still uses the slack grip to pull Armin into a hug. Armin's eyes go wide as he finds himself pressed against Jean's chest, strong arms wrapping around him. Jean's grip tightens for a second but it's enough. _He always treats me like a person..._

"Can... can we talk about something else?" he asks after a pause.

"What do you want to talk about?" Jean asks as simply as if they had previously been discussing the weather and lets go of him.

Armin shrugs. "Your always asking me about myself–"

"Ah but you never give me a straight answer," Jean says grinning as he sits down on a vacant chair.

"I've got to protect my identity," Armin says, sitting down on the floor.

"And I don't?"

"I guess so," Armin shrugs. "Can I ask you something though?"

"What?" Jean asks.

"Nothing super personal, don't worry," Armin chuckles as he tucks his legs under himself, brushing his hair behind his ear, out of his eyes.

"Shame," Jean says, "I was going to suggest a trade."

"A trade?"

"You ask a personal question and I answer honestly and then get to do the same to you," Jean replies.

Despite everything Armin just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Seriously though why do you keep coming back here?"

"You know why."

"Do I though?" Armin asks. "I know you think I'm stunning, you're very vocal about that, but what makes me so special? I'm sure there's plenty of other people who look like me who aren't..." He doesn't quite know how to finish the sentence. Strippers? Prostitutes? Already in a relationship? Although Jean doesn't know that...

Jean runs a hand through his hair to rub the back of his neck while he scrambles for an answer. He lets out a soft breathy laugh as he drops his hand and shrugs.

"I don't know," he says. "There's just something about you that I can't shake and I know I know virtually nothing about you, and it's crazy for me to be, but I'm interested in you. I want to get to know you, see you out of this place and just be with you."

Armin sighs. He bites his lip, knowing that he should come clean. _I don't want to lead him on any more..._

"I have a partner," he says, "and I've been with him for a while." It's not a flat out rejection. He knows this and he's sure Jean does too but he doesn't say anything so Armin ignores it too. All Jean does is chuckle softly and rub the back of his neck again.

"I figured you probably did, looking like that," he says.

"Sorry," Armin says after the silence has stretched on a bit too long.

Jean waves him off. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I guess not but..."

There is a knock at the door to signify that their time is close to being up. Jean looks at the door and chuckles and Armin's heart sinks. _It was nice while it lasted..._

"Wow they don't give you much time, do they?" he asks.

Armin shrugs. "Depends on what the person is paying for."

"Right."

"Speaking of I feel kind of guilty," Armin says.

"What for?"

"I'm guessing you paid a lot of money for me again and basically got nothing," Armin says, shifting awkwardly.

Jean waves him off again and the movement is so effortlessly sexy. "Don't worry about it," he says.

"Yeah well I do," Armin says. "There must be something I can give you, or do for you, after you paid all that money."

"You don't have to," Jean says.

"I want to." He's going to be insistent about this. Jean's paid and he's not going to send him away with nothing.

"Okay fine," Jean relents and pushes himself to his feet. "Come here."

Obediently Armin gets up and goes over to where Jean is standing. He has no idea what he's planning, his face unreadable, so it stands to reason that a soft gasp escapes his lips as Jean's arm suddenly wraps around his waist and pulls him close. They're pressed up against each other and Armin stiffens slightly in Jean's arms as a gentle hand tangles in the downy hair at the nape of his neck. He looks up into those captivating amber eyes to see them staring, with unabashed desire, at his lips.

Armin is trembling all over in anticipation as Jean finally closes the remaining distance between them and brushes his lips against Armin's. Even though he's expecting it he still gasps softly as Jean's lips press harder against his. His knees begin to weaken and he reaches up to grab the front of Jean's shirt as he kisses him back. He shouldn't be doing this. This is different than just sex and he's very aware that he's only in a shirt and boxers but he can't stop himself. The press of Jean's lips against his is just too good.

He allows himself to be totally swept away by the kiss, even leaning in for another when Jean pulls back. His eyes flutter open and the way Jean is looking at him sets a fire in his blood. _No one has kissed me like that in so long..._

"I should probably go before they send someone in," Jean says and he sounds a little breathless.

"Okay..." Armin says, his voice more breath than word.

"See you again," Jean says. He presses another quick kiss to Armin's lips before he's out the door and gone before Armin can stop him.

"Okay," he whispers to the empty room.

He waits for a moment until he's sure that Jean will have disappeared before he leaves the room. He makes a beeline for his dressing room, not realising he's walking faster and faster until he is there. He opens the door and slams it closed behind him. He leans against it, pressing his hand against his rapidly beating heart. It's pounding in his ears and it feels as if it's going to either burst out of his chest or alert everyone in the entire building to the fact that he's totally lost his cool over a kiss. At best he can wait for it to calm down, at worst he can admit that Jean has an affect on him that no one, not even Reiner, seems to.

 _This is not good, this is really not good..._

 _Fuck!_


	10. Brompton Cocktail Blend

**Morning everyone! Thought I'd post this before I do my last day of work before a few days annual leave. Hope you enjoy it, just as a warning there is some very non-consensual sex and heavy drug use in this chapter**

There are numerous cons to sleeping with people for money but as far as it has gone for Armin he hasn't had to deal with the worst it could possibly get. Well... he hasn't had to deal with it yet. When he first started he knew to was only a matter of time before someone tried to force him into something. He also knows that if that was the case, there isn't a whole lot he can do to fight back, especially not if the other person is bigger than him.

This man's name is Mike. He is tall, with floppy flaxen hair and a small goatee to match. He doesn't say much so he closes the door behind him, just surveys Armin, dull eyes boring into him. Armin feels like he wants to retreat inside himself again – this guy gives off the same kind of vibe that Erwin does and it's unsettling – but he forces himself to smile.

"Hi I'm Azure," he says. "What can I–"

He's cut off as Mike strides over to him, roughly grabs him and spins him so that his back is pressed up against a hard chest. Armin tries to be pliant, just like Erwin said he has to be, but he stiffens as a hand reaches up to close around his throat. No one has ever done this before and this is a whole new level of not okay. _If he wanted this Erwin should have told me beforehand..._ The hand tightens slightly and it becomes difficult to breathe. Armin can hear his own ragged breathing and the pounding of his heart, louder than anything else in the room.

Armin feels Mike's breath brush passed his ear and he bites his lip to stop himself from making a sound. He hears Mike inhale deeply, smelling him, and Armin has to suppress a shudder. This is already weirder than he would like. The vibe this man gives off and the fact that he hasn't said anything – Armin only knows he name because Erwin told him – is only making him feel more uncomfortable.

Still without saying a word Mike's knee hits the back of Armin's and he shoves him to the floor. A fist in Armin's hair shoves him face down, hard, against the cold, grimy floor while Mike's other hand grips his hips and pulls them back so that his backside is in the air. This isn't the first time Armin has been face down, ass up but this guy's unrelenting grip is painful. He doesn't want this, less so than any of the other times he has to fuck someone for money, this is not how he wants it. At least during other times he has the semblance of control. He tries to struggle against Mike's hold but that only causes his grip to tighten.

His heart starts fluttering in his chest and he tries to throw Mike off but he is much bigger than Armin is and he can't even get him to release his hair. Mike's hand lets go of his hip before it comes down, forcefully, on Armin's backside. Immediately Armin stops struggling, waiting for the possibility of another blow.

"You're mine for the night," Mike says, his voice sending a tremor of fear down Armin's spine. "Do you understand?"

"I..."

"I said do you understand?" Mike hisses as he gives Armin's hair another harsh yank.

"Y... yes," Armin whimpers. His scalp stings and he's expecting another tug to his hair or a slap to his backside.

Mike smells his hair again and Armin really struggles not to shiver with revulsion. "Such a good little whore," Mike whispers.

 _Whore..._

 _That's what I am._

Armin swallows the tears down before he can really think too much about that word. "Please..." He doesn't know what he's pleading for but he wasn't this to stop.

"Now are you going to stop struggling?" Mike asks.

"I..."

Before he can finish Mike uses his grip on Armin's hair to pull him back in order to hiss in his ear.

"Just so you know Erwin Smith is a close _personal_ friend of mine so if you want to keep your job you'll do what I tell you."

 _Oh shit!_

Armin hasn't ever thought about that possibility. Mike could easily go to Erwin and tell him that Armin fought him unprovoked and that's just Armin out of a job. Who is Erwin more likely to believe? Despite everything, despite how much he hates this and hates himself for doing it, he can't afford to loose this job. He grits his teeth and lowers his eyes to the floor in submission.

"Are you going to continue to be a good little whore for me or do I need to have a talk with Erwin?" Mike asks.

"No," Armin replies quietly. "I... I'll do as you say."

"Good."

Mike shoves Armin's head down onto the floor again, pressing his cheek against the cold ground. Once the hand leaves his hair Armin doesn't move. He closes his eyes and tries to block everything out as Mike tugs his boxers down so that they bunch around his knees. He gives Armin's backside another stinging slap but the only sound Armin makes is a tiny, muffled squeak. A deep chuckle from Mike meets his ears and it makes him sick to his stomach.

"Spread yourself open and keep your hands like that," Mike orders and Armin wordlessly complies. He reaches back and pulls his cheeks apart, pressing his upper body harder into the floor to ground himself. A hum of approval meets his ears along with a zip being pulled down and that sickness begins to spread through Armin's body. _Just close your eyes and it will be over soon... hopefully..._

He listens carefully as Mike pus a condom on and Armin waits to hear the sound of more lube but it never comes. Before he has a chance to protest the plug he had keeping himself open is yanked out of him. He hears Mike spit, presumable into his palm, and the brief sound of skin rubbing against skin before those harsh hands grip his hips. In one swift movement Mike pushes into him. It hurts. It hurts like fuck and Armin has to sink his teeth into his bottom lip to stop himself from screaming.

Mike begins to ram into him without mercy and, despite his earlier preparation it's so painful. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth, trying not to make a sound. The grip on his hips is likely to bruise and his hands are trembling as he holds himself open. He prays for it to be over. He wishes that it would just end but no one is coming to save him. _The money for this had better be worth it..._

A few more hard thrusts and Mike stills, reaching his peak and cumming. Armin keeps himself as still as he possibly can as Mike pulls out. There is another harsh slap to his backside and Armin can't stop the tiny whimper of pain.

"You were good enough," Mike says as he re-dresses himself. "I'll make sure you get paid and I won't tell Erwin about your earlier insolence."

Armin can't bring himself to say anything in response, he just stays exactly where he is until he hears Mike leave and the door close behind him.

Now that he's alone he slowly comes back to himself. Curling up in a ball on the floor he jams a fist into his mouth to stop himself from screaming. Tears begin to pour down his face and he hates himself for letting things get this far, for ever agreeing to this in the first place. _I need to do something... I need to make this go away..._

It suddenly occurs to him that there is one way he can make it all end. He pushes himself to his feet, pulling his boxers back up and leaves the room. Casting a glance down the corridor he realises that he is alone and quickly makes his way over to Ymir's dressing room. _Just take the edge off..._

He knocks on the door. "Ymir?" he calls and knocks again. There seems to be no answer so he tries the door. It's blissfully open so he slips inside. He knows he shouldn't be doing this, aside from anything it could land Ymir in so much trouble, but he needs something to make himself stop feeling like he's dying.

He sees her bag instantly – it's gaudy, pink and hard to miss – and begins to route through it. It doesn't take long for him to find what he's looking for: five bags of that white powder. He knows he shouldn't be doing this but he takes the bags, leaving the room as it was and disappearing to his own dressing room. He locks the door behind him and sits down in front of his dressing table, perching on the edge of the chair.

With shaking hands he opens each of the bags, tipping the powder into five lines and, before he can over-think it, he closes one nostril and inhales the first line. He doesn't waste any time before inhaling the next and the next and the next until he's inhaled all five lines of cocaine in one fell swoop.

His head spins as he stares up at the ceiling. _Sorry Ymir..._ He waits for a moment, just until the room stops spinning before he pushes himself to his feet before changing into his regular clothes. His movements are sluggish and his body feels heavy but he manages to dress and heave his bag onto his shoulder. He pulls his hood over his recognisable hair but no one bothers him as he leaves. He doesn't meet anyone and he's glad. He doesn't think he could handle a conversation right now.

The cold night air hits him like one of Mike's slaps and only serves to make him feel worse. _Ymir told me this was supposed to make me feel better... maybe I took too much..._ He stumbles as he catches his foot on the kerb and the world lurches horribly. Turning the corner at the end of the street is disorientating and his vision begins to swim before him. _I just want to get home, I just need to..._

Before he knows what's happening he's flat on his back in the middle of the street staring up at the starless sky. Over the buzz starting to fill his ears he hears a woman scream but there's nothing he can do. He knows he should try to get back on his feet and get home but he can't seem to move his limbs. Nothing seems to want to work anymore and he doesn't try to stop his eyelids as they slip closed and everything fades to black.


	11. The World Ends With You

**Hey everyone, we're swapping points of view to Jean today for some medical stuff, hope you enjoy :D**

"It's an absolute crime you you know," Petra says as she dumps her bag down onto a vacant chair.

"What is?" Jean laughs.

"That you've been in Shinganshina for, how long?"

"About three months now."

"And you're still single?!" Petra asks incredulously.

"Yep," Jean replies, leaning against the wall and folding his arms over his chest.

Petra shakes her head. "Such a crime someone as good looking as you hasn't managed to find someone. I mean you're a paramedic in a relatively successful hospital – you save people's lives on a daily basis for god's sake – and you can't even get someone to go and have coffee with you."

"In all fairness I haven't been looking," Jean says.

"Why not?"

"There's no one that's really caught my eye," he lies. That is a total lie. Someone has caught his eye but that person just so happens to be a stripper with a partner, who won't give him anything other than his stage name and who's life seems to be spiralling out of control with nothing Jean can do to help.

"Dating prospects in Shinganshina," Petra says wistfully.

"Something like that," Jean says.

"People are idiots," Petra says as she re-ties her auburn hair back into a ponytail. "If I was single..."

"How is Thomas by the way?" Jean cuts in.

"He's fine," Petra replies. "As I was saying if I was single I would have tried to snap you up the moment I saw you."

"I can't imagine that would have gone down too well with Shadis," Jean chuckles, wryly, shaking his head. "Two of his paramedics making eyes at each other over the bloody mess of a car wreck patient."

"Oh I love it when you talk dirty," Petra smirks, leaning in close.

"You're twisted."

"I know."

Jean opens his mouth to say something but before either of them can make any other comment the doors to the emergency department bang open, a gurney being wheeled in. Both of them look up to see Ilse at the head of it, her team flanking her. She catches Jean's eyes.

"Jean, Petra scrub up, I need you both," she shouts over the commotion as the gurney is wheeled into a private bay.

"Duty calls," Petra says as she heads towards the bay. Jean follows, stopping to wash his hands in the basin in the corner before pulling on a pair of latex gloves.

"What have we got Ilse?" he asks as he goes to stand at her side.

"Male, late teens to early twenties, with suspected heart failure and respiratory failure, resulting of a drug overdose," Ilse says.

"What's he taken?" Petra asks.

"As far as we can tell cocaine," Ilse replies.

"Anything else?" Jean asks.

"Don't think so," Ilse says. "He doesn't have the hallmarks of a user so, likelihood is this is his first time and he took too much."

"There's a lot of blood round his nose and mouth. Has he haemorrhaged?" Petra asks as she tightens a cuff around the man's arm to insert an IV drip.

"Not sure," Ilse says, hooking up a heart monitor to the man and it instantly begins to beep to life. "He was out-cold when we picked him up and a member of the public called us so god only knows how long he was like this before they found him."

"Does he have any ID on him?" Jean asks. "Or any medical bracelets or..." At that moment Jean finally looks down at the man's face and his heart almost stops. Lying on the table, blood covering his nose and cheeks, is Azure. "Fuck..." he says on an out-breath.

"Jean are you okay?" Petra asks. Clearly it was a noticeable out-breath.

"Do you know this guy?" Ilse asks putting two and two together.

Jean stares for a moment before he shakes himself back to reality. _I can't fall to pieces if I want to save him._ "Sort of," he say.

"If you don't think you can do this..." Ilse says.

"I'll be fine," Jean says. "I can do this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Good," Ilse says nodding.

Pushing all thoughts about just who is on the table in front of him out of his mind Jean takes a small torch out of his pocket and clicks it on. He pushes one of Azure's eyelids back and shines the light into his eyes, moving it back and forth in front of them. "Pupils blown and unresponsive," he states.

"Blood pressure's through the roof," Petra says.

A high pitched whine fills the room and all three of them look to the heart monitor. A single, flat green line spans the screen.

"We need resus," Ilse says.

Jean strides to the entrance of the bay. "I need a crash cart in here!" he calls before he rushes back to Azure's side. "Starting CPR." He clasps one hand over the other, places them in the centre of Azure's chest and begins to press down, setting a steady rhythm.

The crash cart arrives swiftly but Jean pays it no mind. All he can think about is Azure. _He's so young... I can't let him just die, not like this..._ He keeps up the rhythm of compressions as Ilse places two pads on Armin's chest.

"Shocking two hundred," Isle says. She places a defibrillator over the pads. "Clear!"

Everyone pulls back and Jean watches Azure's entire body jolt from the electricity. He looks so young and helpless and Jean's chest tightens. _I can't lose him..._ As soon as the shock has passed the monitor is still showing no signs of life. Jean places his hands back in the centre of Azure's chest and starts his compressions again.

"Shocking two hundred again," Ilse says after a few more of Jean's compressions. "Clear!" Everyone pulls back a second time, the defibrillator is applied and another shock jolts Azure's body but there's still nothing.

 _No..._

Jean starts his compressions again, more forcefully, ignoring the sickening crunch of a rib cracking underneath his hands.

This continues for a few minutes. Jean can feel fatigue trying to set in deep in his arms but he refuses to give up. He can save him, he knows he can. He can't just give up without ever finding out Azure's real name. He can't just let him die. Ilse's hand on his shoulder startles him out of himself.

"Jean give it up," she says softly, "it's over."

"No," he says.

"Jean," Petra says gently, "we've had nothing for nearly five minutes, any longer and he'll have permanent brain damage even if we can bring him back. We need to call it."

"One more shock, I'm not losing him!"

Ilse and Petra exchange a look before Ilse pick up the defibrillator again. "Shocking two hundred. Clear!"

She applies the defibrillator and another shock jolts Azure's body again. As soon as it passes there is a beep from the heart monitor, then another and another. Jean look up at the heart monitor and he feels his own skip at the sight.

"Okay we have a rhythm," Petra says.

"Fucking miracle," Ilse mutters she puts the defibrillator pads down before picking up a sterile alcohol wipe and cleaning the blood off Azure's face. "You're fucking crazy, you know that right?"

"What me?" Jean asks, assuming that she's taking to him.

"Yes you," she replies.

"Yeah I know," he mutters. The urge to reach over and brush Azure's fringe from his face is overwhelming so he uses the pretence of checking his pupils again and gives in.

 _Thank god..._


	12. Secrets And Lies

**Morning everyone :D brand new chapter to celebrate the release of series two (sort of haha) hope you enjoy this :D**

The first thing Armin notices when he opens his eyes is the blinding light above him. For a brief moment he wonders if he has actually died before he realises it's just the florescent lights in the ceiling and not the entrance to the pearly gates. _If I was dead I doubt that I would be going to heaven..._

The second thing he notices is that everything hurts like hell. His face hurts, his head hurts, his chest feels as if someone is standing on it and he doubts he'll be able to sit up without being in agony. _I guess I must be in hospital_ , he thinks as the faint beep of a heart monitor meets his ears. He closes his eyes and lets out a long, deep sigh. _Why couldn't they just leave me to die..._

"So Armin Arlert, huh?" a familiar voice asks and Armin closes his eyes in frustration as he knows that Jean is about to, once again, witness him at rock bottom.

"That is my name, yes," he replies, his voice is raspy and talking is painful.

"Need a hand sitting up?" Jean asks as he comes into view.

"Please," Armin says, ignoring the scratching in his throat. "Probably going to be painful on my own."

"Do you need some more morphine?" Jean asks as he helps Armin slowly push himself into a sitting position.

"That would be great," Armin says, wincing slightly as he is lowered down onto some upright pillows. He has to admit that Jean does smell good as he catches the scent of that aftershave on his neck. It's a comforting smell, just like Jean's hand on his shoulder is comforting. He looks up into Jean's face and it's just as kind as he remembers. "What happened to me?" he asks before he can stop himself. He isn't quite sure he wants to know just yet.

"Cocaine overdose," Jean replies as he goes about increasing Armin's morphine drip.

"Oh..." _Yeah..._

"I'm obliged to ask you what you were doing with that much cocaine but I doubt you'd tell me even if I did," Jean says with a wry smile and Armin feels his cheeks heating up.

"I was having a bad day," he hedges.

"Has to be one hell of a bad day for you to do that much coke in one go," Jean says, pulling up a chair and sitting beside Armin's bed.

"Yeah well go hard or go home," Armin chuckles and instantly regrets it, wincing at the sting in his side. "How long have I been here?"

"Two days," Jean say. _Fuck..._ "You've been out-cold up until now."

"Why does my chest hurt so much?"

"One of your ribs was cracked during CPR," Jean replies.

 _CPR? Then that means..._

Armin glares down at his hands. "There's a DNR in my wallet, you know."

"Yeah we didn't find it until afterwards," Jean says. He sighs and shakes his head, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "You're twenty-three, you're too young to have a DNR."

"Figures you're a doctor," Armin says, ignoring Jean's last statement. "Guessing this is how you were able to afford me."

"Guilty," Jean grins.

"So you know my name now," Armin says after a pause.

"If it helps I don't know much else," Jean says. "You came in, barely any identification, no emergency contacts and no phone."

"I travel light."

"Right," Jean chuckles. "My surname is Kirschtein by the way."

"What?"

"You know my name," Jean says. "We're even now."

"I don't know how old you are," Armin says.

"I'm twenty-eight," Jean tells him.

"Now we're even."

"Good."

"So what happens now?" Armin asks after a pause. It's strange being in the same room as Jean but it a completely different setting from the one he's used to. Here Jean is the one in change, not him and he doesn't have to take his clothes off.

"Well we want to keep you in for a few more days but once you're fully recovered we can let you go," Jean tells him. "That will also mean enough time has passed to make sure that everything is out of your system."

"That's very nice of you but I can't stay," Armin says. He begins trying to push himself up but Jean's hand on his shoulder stops him.

"What are you doing? This isn't a negotiation."

"But I have to go back to work," Armin says, "and my partner will be wondering where I am." More than anything Armin knows Reiner is going to be more annoyed at how much this hospital stint is costing.

"If you give me their number I can let them know you're here," Jean says.

"No it's fine," Armin waves him off, "I should just get home." He tries to push himself up again but a stinging pain in his side has him sinking back to the pillows with a barely disguised whimper.

"You're not well enough to leave," Jean says.

"I'm a fast healer," Armin says.

"Be that as it may that's not the point," Jean says and Armin can hear the frustration seeping into his voice.

"If I don't want to stay you can't keep me here."

"No but–"

"So I'll just get out of your hair."

"Armin!" Jean snaps and it's the first time Armin has ever heard him raise his voice. "You nearly died! You're staying here until you're well enough. I'm your doctor; I will tell you when you can leave, understand?"

Armin blinks at him in shock for a second. Jean's never snapped at him before but it's not because he wants to force him into something. _He's just trying to look out for me..._ He feels himself blushing and looks down at his hands, twisting the edges of the blanket.

"I... I can't afford it," he says quietly and Jean almost doesn't catch it. "I can't afford to stay here."

"What do you mean?"

"Hospitals are expensive and I didn't really hang around long enough to get paid the other night," Armin replies.

"And if I say I can take care of it will you stop trying to fight me?" Jean asks as he pushes himself to his feet.

"Take care of what?"

"You not being able to afford to stay," Jean replies.

"How?"

"Just trust me."

"I'm not letting you pay for me," Armin says knowing what Jean is like when it seems to come to him.

"That wasn't what I was going to suggest," Jean chuckles.

"Oh..."

"Just trust me, okay?"

Armin pulls his bottom lip between his teeth. _Jean's never given me a reason not to trust him before..._ "Okay."

Jean smiles. "Good." He reaches over and takes hold of Armin's hand, being very careful not to knock the IV. He gives it a comforting squeeze. "I'll be back in a second."

"Okay..."

Jean gives his hand one final squeeze before he gets to his feet and leaves the room. Armin stares after him for a moment, his hand still tingling form the warmth of Jean's.

* * *

Morgues are not a place for the faint-hearted or for those who startle easily so it is always a constant source of amusement to Jean that Connie screams like a six years old girl whenever he's suddenly disturbed while concentrating.

"Maybe you shouldn't work with your headphones in," Jean says, pulling the buds out of Connie's ears for him.

"Do you know how creepy and quiet it is down here?" Connie protests. "I get so bored."

"Then buy a radio!"

Connie shrugs. The movement looks morbidly comical as he still seems to be holding one of the organs of the man lying open on the table in front of him. "Meh? Anyway what can I do for you? I'm hoping there is a reason you came down here other than to give me a heart-attack."

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to scare you," Jean says.

"I thought you were a dead person coming back to life!"

"Then why did you kick me?" Jean asks as his shin throbs painfully again.

"Dead people should be dead!" Connie states.

"Right..." Jean nods. "I can't fault that logic. Anyway I did have a reason for coming to talk to you. Do you still have the paperwork for the last person who died?"

"Somewhere," Connie says. "I can't really check because I've kinda got my hands in a dead guy right now but I haven't sent it off yet, I know that much."

"Good, could you sit on that for a couple of days?" Jean asks.

Connie narrows his eyes as he slowly places what he's holding back into the dead man's chest. "Why?"

"I'm doing someone a favour," Jean replies.

"What kind of favour?"

Jean runs a hand through his hair. He has to tell Connie as he's asking him for such a big favour. "Okay there's someone upstairs who needs to stay here for a few more days but he won't because he can't afford it. If you can sit on that paperwork then I can get this guy back to full health so he doesn't end up back here in three weeks."

"And what makes this guy so special?" Connie asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, at the risk of sounding heartless, people who can't afford to stay come through here all the time and they usually end up down here when they come back so why make sure this guy gets out alive?" Connie asks.

"I can't even begin to explain it," Jean says shaking his head.

Connie stares at him for a moment before realisation dawns. "You want in this guy!"

"No!" Jean cries. Connie just raises an eyebrow at him. "Alright a little bit but that's not why I'm doing it."

Connie continues to survey him through narrowed eyes. "You know we could both lose our jobs for this."

It's not a no.

 _He didn't actually say no..._

"I know."

"So what's my incentive?" he asks. "I know yours but I'm going to need something more than that."

"I'll give you Sasha's phone number," Jean says. He knows Connie's got the hots for the girl in the café and he knows Sasha's more than a little interested too so, really, he's doing them both a favour.

"Done and done," Connie says without even stopping to think about it.

Jean lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks man, I owe you big time."

"This guy better be worth it, that's all I'm going to say," Connie says, shaking his head.

"He is."

* * *

Armin is drifting in and out of sleep but he jolts awake as Jean re-enters the room. He watches his every movement as he pulls up a chair again and sits down. Armin opens his mouth to say something but he isn't sure what so he closes it again. Thankfully he doesn't have to as Jean starts the conversation for him.

"So it's all sorted," he says. "You can stay here for as long as you need to under the name of someone recently deceased."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Thank you so much," Armin gushes, his eyes sparkling. It feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

"No problem," Jean smiles. "If anyone asks your name is Marco Bott."

"Thank you," Armin says. Tears prick the corners of his eyes. _I can't even remember the last time someone was this nice to me... no without wanting something in return._ At least he doesn't think Jean wants anything in return... "Can I ask you a question?"

"Fire away."

"Why are you doing this for me?" he asks.

"You know why," Jean replies simply.

"Then there must be some way I can repay you for this," Armin says. He's not sure what he means by that – he sure as hell doesn't have any money – but he needs to ask.

"Just get yourself better," Jean says.

"But..." Armin starts to protest. He's never known anyone to act so unselfishly and he's not sure how to react.

"I just think you deserve better than what you've got and I want to help you," Jean says.

"Thank you," Armin finally says, his voice catching around the lump in his throat. He wants to reach over and pull Jean into a hug but that may not be the best idea as he might not let go (plus with all his injuries it will hurt like fuck). In the end it's Jean who makes the first move, taking Armin's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Is there anyone I can call for you?" he asks. "Let someone know where you are."

Really there's only one person Armin can think of who he won't have to explain himself to if he calls him.

"I've got a friend who lives out if Stohess," he says. "He used to do what I do before he met his partner." _Before he got rescued..._

"Okay I'll give him a call."

* * *

Eren walks into the study and sees Levi bent over his work, hardly noticing the world around him. Eren tiptoes up behind him and slips his arms around his neck, pressing a soft kiss to Levi's cheek. Levi jumps slightly before placing a hand on Eren's arm and relaxing back into his touch.

"You nearly finished work?" Eren asks.

Levi signs the paper in front of him with a flourish and drops his pen. He turns his head and presses a kiss to Eren's soft lips. "I am now."

"Good," Eren says, diving in for another kiss. "Thought you might like a break as you've been working so hard."

"Yes please," Levi says smirking as Eren comes round the side of the sofa to sit on his lap. He wraps his arms around his lover and wastes no time pressing their lips together, his hand going to rest on Eren's hip. Before his hand can go any further Eren's phone begins to ring in his back pocket. "Ignore it," he says between kisses.

"Just let me check to see if it's anyone important," Eren laughs. Levi just rolls his eyes and continues to press kisses to his neck as Eren pulls his phone out. He frowns at it. "That's a Shinganshina area code... who would be calling me from there?" He presses the answer button and holds the phone to his ear. "Hello... Yeah this is Eren Jëager..."

Levi listens to the one sided conversation, watching a mix of emotions pass over Eren's already expressive face. _Whatever this is, it's important..._

"Okay thank you, I'll be there as soon as I can," he says before disconnecting the call.

"You alright?" Levi asks frowning.

"A... Armin's in hospital," Eren replies, his voice hoarse and thick with unshead tears, "apparently he took a shit ton of cocaine and he passed out in the street before..." He dissolves into tears and Levi pulls him into a tight, hug, stroking his hair.

"Give me five minutes," he says. "I'll shove some stuff in a bag for us and we'll leave for Shinganshina as soon as we're ready."

"Okay," Eren sniffs, burying himself into Levi's chest. He's so grateful for him, he always knows what to do when Eren's falling apart. The sooner they get to Shinganshina the better. _God, I hope Armin is alright..._


	13. Face Down In The Dirt

**Evening all, I've had an incredibly long day so I'mma just leave this here for you while I go to sleep, enjoy :D**

When Eren and Levi get to the hospital and to Armin's room there are a lot of tears, mostly on Eren's part. Jean gives Levi a run down of what happened since Armin arrived at the hospital. He doesn't say anything about the prostitution – if Armin wants them to know, he'll tell them – and is quite tight lipped about why all the other doctors seem to be referring to Armin as 'Marco'. Eren stays by Armin's side until they are asked to leave as visiting hours end. Jean promises to look after Armin in Eren's absence, despite the fact that he's been at the hospital pushing forty-eight hours now.

Armin tells him that he'll be fine and that Jean doesn't have to stay but Jean insists that he's staying. _I want to stay so I'll stay._ The two of them spend most of their time talking and Armin is a lot more willing to open up to him now. Everything is so easy with Jean and Armin craves the time they spend alone together, however fleeting and short it may be.

By the time the weekend comes to a close Jean gives Armin the go ahead to leave. On the one hand Armin is glad that he can go home because hospitals aren't overly nice places to be in, on the other hand he now has to go back to reality. He has to deal with Reiner asking where he's been, he has to deal with Erwin probably docking his pay for not being at work the last few days if he doesn't just out right fire him and, what seems to hurt him the most, is that he won't see Jean as much anymore.

He's packing up his bag when there is a knock at the door. He turns and sees Eren standing in the doorway. "Hey," he says smiling.

"Hey," Eren says, walking over to him. "You all packed and ready to go?"

"I am now," Armin says, zipping up his bag.

"Good," Eren says. He wraps his arms around Armin's waist from behind and rests his chin on Armin's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're alright," he whispers but Armin still just about hears him. He places a hand on top of one of Eren's.

"I'm sorry I made you worry," he says.

Eren hugs him a little tighter. "I'm sorry I left," he whispers.

"I don't blame you," Armin says, giving his hand a squeeze. "If I had had the option to leave I would have done."

"I know but still."

"How is everything going with Levi?" Armin asks, changing the subject.

"It's great," Eren replies, burying his head into Armin's shoulder. "How's things with Reiner?" he asks after a pause.

Armin stiffens slightly but Eren doesn't seem to notice. He should tell him. He should tell him that there was a reason he called him instead of Reiner. Although Eren's probably worked something out, he's not stupid. "Things are okay," he says finally.

"Just okay?" Eren asks.

"Things have been difficult," Armin replies. "Things have been kind of shit for a while and I haven't been able to talk to him about things much."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Armin says even though they both know it isn't. _I wonder if I'll ever find someone who cares for me as much as Levi cares for Eren..._

"What are you going to tell him?" Eren asks after another pause.

"What Reiner?"

"Yeah. I mean you've been here nearly a week now, he must at least be wondering where you are and if you're okay," Eren says.

"I think I'm going to tell him that I was with you, if that's okay?" Armin says.

"Yeah that's fine," Eren says.

"I just don't want him to freak out about how long I've been in hospital and how much that might have cost," Armin says.

"Arm you don't have to explain yourself to me," Eren says and Armin thanks him for it. "I mean I doubt Reiner would contact me to ask but I'll cover for you."

"Thank you," Armin says and gives his hand another squeeze.

There is a moment of silence that passes between the two of them, Armin just holding on to Eren. _If I let go then I have to go back to that hell and I don't know if I can do that just yet..._ The silence is broken by Levi's deep voice from the doorway.

"You ready to go?" he asks.

"Yeah," Armin replies as he and Eren finally break apart. He turns to smile at Levi. "Thank you for everything Levi."

"Don't sweat it," Levi says. "Hardly going to leave you in hospital on your own."

"It was great to see you both again," Armin says, smiling fondly, "even if the circumstances weren't great."

"We'll have to come back for a proper visit at some point," Eren says, pulling Armin into another hug.

"Where are you living these days?" Levi asks. "We'll drop you off."

"It's miles out of your way, don't worry about it," Armin says shaking his head.

"It's fine, it's no bother," Levi says.

"Besides," Eren cuts in before Armin can reply, "if Reiner sees me he might be a bit more inclined to believe you were with me."

 _And if Reiner gets angry then I'll be dragging Eren and Levi into this mess as well._ "No seriously it's fine. I could do with the walk, I've been in bed for like four days. I really need the exercise."

"But you said it yourself it's miles out of the way," Levi says.

"Hey!" Eren suddenly calls out into the corridor. "Dr Kirschtein!" Next thing Armin knows Jean comes into the room, looking confused.

"Everything okay?" he asks.

"Can you please tell Armin that he shouldn't be walking home on his own after the condition he was in," Eren pleads.

"I've been given the okay to leave," Armin says. "I'm fine to walk!"

"Don't be so stubborn!" Eren tells him.

"Well I can give you a lift home as I live out that way, if making people go out of their way is what you're worried about," Jean chuckles, hardly bothering to hide his grin as Eren and Armin argue.

"What?" Armin asks, his eyes widening.

"Yeah if you won't go home with us then at least go home with him," Eren says.

"We'd all feel better if you didn't go home on your own," Levi says.

Armin bites his lip. Maybe he should take Eren and Levi up on their offer... it might be better then being in a car with Jean. Then again being with Jean for a little longer would be nice. It would also mean that he wasn't making Eren and Levi go miles out the way.

"Okay," he relents. "I'll go with Dr Kirschtein."

"Good," Eren says grinning. He wraps his arms around Armin's neck and pulls him close again. "Hey, he's quite good looking isn't he," he whispers so that Jean can't here but there is no danger of that as he's already talking to Levi. Armin can feel his face heating up as Jean turns to smile at him.

"Is he?" he whispers back. "I hadn't noticed."

* * *

Armin hates saying goodbye to Eren but being driven home by Jean really does soften the blow. He manages to make vague conversation a he watches Jean drive. _Even the way he drives is sexy..._ When they reach Armin's front door he has to fight the urge to leave over and hug him. The way Jean is smiling at him makes his stomach flutter and his cheeks turn pink. He thanks him again and pulls his keys out as he leaves the car. At the door he turns and gives Jean a wave, watching him a moment longer as he drives off, before he opens the door.

"I'm home," he says, voice wavering as he prepares himself for the argument he knows is going to happen.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Reiner growls as he comes out of the kitchen.

Armin swallows. He can feel himself shaking. _I shouldn't be this scared of the man who's supposed to love me..._ "Sorry," he says. "I had a bad night the other day and I just needed to be on my own for a little while."

"You were gone for four days!" Reiner hisses. "I had no idea where you were of when you were coming back!"

"I just needed some space," Armin offers lamely. He knows there's no way Reiner is going to accept this as an explanation.

"So where have you been?" Reiner asks.

"I went to go see Eren," he replies.

"He lives out in Stohess! How much did it cost you to get out there?"

"His partner came and picked me up," Armin lies.

"Well you're back now," Reiner says after a pause shrugging.

"Yeah I'm sorry. I won't take off with no explanation again," Armin says.

"By the way," Reiner says after a pause, his voice dipping dangerously, "who was that guy who dropped you off just now."

 _Fuck!_

"He... he's a friend of Eren's," Armin stammers. "He was coming out this way so he said he'd drop me off. Save Levi the second trip."

Reiner glares at him and Armin can feel a storm brewing. Reiner takes a step towards him and he tries not to shrink back against the door. "Don't lie to me, Armin."

"I... I'm not lying," Armin says even though he's digging his grave even deeper.

"Then why won't you look at me?" Reiner hisses. "We've been together long enough that I know when you're lying." Armin realises that he's been staring at the floor or the wall or the ceiling, anywhere but at Reiner's face.

"I... I just..." There's no explanation. He's never been a very good liar and this is only proving it.

"You haven't been in Stohess, tell me the truth!" Reiner snarls, advancing on him. "You've been whoring around with him this whole time!"

"What?" Armin asks indignantly.

"That's where you've been isn't it?" Reiner snaps. "You've been fucking him!" It's too much. The accusations after everything Reiner's pushed on him is too much and something inside Armin snaps too.

"So what if I have?" he asks. "It's my job remember!"

"How much did he pay you then?" Reiner asks. "If it's your job where's the money?"

"Erwin doesn't work like that and you know it!"

"Well you must have something to show for it!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Armin asks. "You were the one who said that as long as I was getting paid it didn't matter and, if I recall, you were the one who told me to do this in the first place."

"That was before I thought you'd use it as a good excuse to give it away for free!" Reiner shouts.

"Wow!" Armin says, taken aback. "Nice to know how little you think of me. I have never done anything like that with anyone other that you unless I was getting paid for it!"

"Really?" Reiner asks incredulously. "Because from where I'm standing that sounds like total bullshit.

"You know what? I can't talk to you when you're like this," Armin says throwing his hands up in anger and frustration. "I don't even want to look at you right now!" He stalks passed Reiner into the kitchen. He doesn't know what he plans to do in there, all he knows is that he can't be around Reiner if he wants to keep a level head.

A rough hand grabs his arm as he passes and he is yanked backwards before the back of Reiner's hand connects with his face. "Don't walk away from me you little slut!"

The blow has Armin reeling, colliding painfully with the door frame. He cries out as Reiner roughly grabs his hair. _He's never hit me before... then again he's never called me names and accused me of cheating before so I guess there's a first time for everything._

Reiner's fist raises and Armin closes his eyes, prepared for another blow, but a knock at the door stills Reiner's hand. He tightens his grip on Armin's hair and drags him into the kitchen so they can see who is at the door from the window. Armin's heart sinks as he sees Jean standing in front of the door, waiting.

"Looks like your new man isn't ready to give up on you yet," Reiner hisses derisively. Using the grip he has on his hair he gives Armin a shove in the direction of the door, making him trip and stumble. "Answer it," he snarls.

Armin picks himself up and tries to compose himself as much as possible before he opens the door.

"Hey," Jean smiles and the sight makes Armin's heart melt.

"Jean, what are you doing here?" he asks. He knows Reiner is going to be listening in on every word between them so he should keep it short.

Jean's smile falters and his eyes narrow as he looks at Armin's face. "You left your jacket in the car," he says holding out the aforementioned jacket. "Thought you might want it back."

"Thank you," Armin say, taking the jacket hurriedly.

Jean studies him for a moment. "Are you okay?" He's looking pointedly at Armin's eyes. He tentatively lifts a hand to his face and it stings where his fingers brush. _Must be from where he hit me..._

"Yeah I'm fine," he lies.

"Okay good," Jean says as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. "I figured I probably shouldn't leave it in the back seat of my car just in case you needed it before I next saw you." As he talks he taps something out and turns the phone around so Armin can see what is written on the screen.

 **Blink twice if he did this to you**

"Thank you for this," Armin says gesturing to the jacket, "and thank you for the ride home." He tries to ignore the request but he can't, not when it's from Jean. He looks him in the eye and blinks twice.

"No problem," Jean says as he pockets his phone. "So I guess I'll see you around then."

"S... sure," Armin says with a sinking heart. _What did I think was going to happen?_ "I'll see you around." Resigned to his fate he closes the door, bracing himself for whatever Reiner is going to throw at him. He stiffens as he feels Reiner looming behind him.

"Looks like he doesn't think you're worth the effort after all," he sneers He grabs a fistful of Armin's hair and yanks his head back, making Armin drop the jacket and cry out. He gropes uselessly at Reiner's wrist but his grip is too strong. _Someone please save me from this..._

Outside Armin's scream of pain is muffled slightly by the door but it's still loud enough for Jean to hear. He walks away as he pulls out his phone. _If I can hear them they might be able to hear me..._ He presses in the number and hold the phone to his ear.

"Emergency services, who do you need?" a monotonous female voice says as the call connects.

"Police please," Jean says.

* * *

Ten minutes of someone bigger and stronger than you using you like a punching bag is a long time. Armin loses all concept of how much time has passed by the time he's on the floor, Reiner's foot connecting with his stomach, and all he wants is for it to be over. He closes his eyes – _hopefully he'll get tired and just leave_ – and waits, hoping and praying.

A pounding on the door makes Reiner stop before he can land the next blow. Armin opens his eyes and blinks up at the door. Could this be his saving grace?

"Police," a voice shouts through the door. "Open up!"

Reiner grabs Armin's hair and roughly pulls him up off the floor. "Did you know about this?"

"No," Armin whimpers, trying to wriggle from Reiner's vice like grip but to no avail. "I swear."

There is another pounding on the door. "Police, is anyone home?"

 _If I call out then they'll hear me and they can stop this._ Summoning all his courage Armin takes a deep breath and shouts as loud as he can. "Someone help me, please!"

"Shut up!" Reiner snarls and shoves Armin's face to the floor.

"If this door doesn't open in ten seconds, we're breaking it down," the voice outside calls. Armin closes his eyes and counts to ten, filled with trepidation.

There is a sudden flurry of activity. The door bursts off its hinges and within seconds Reiner's weight is pulled off him. He looks up to see Reiner, spitting and snarling, fighting against two huge policemen. They manage to force him into a pair of handcuffs and drag him outside. Armin watches him be pulled away, utterly dazed, until a hand appears in front of his face. He looks up and sees Jean.

"Are you alright?" Jean asks.

Armin takes his hand and allows Jean to pull him to his feet. "Yeah, thank you." Jean brushes Armin's hair from his face, inspecting the damage. _I must look an absolute mess..._ Armin opens his mouth to say something, shifting under Jean's gaze, but he's cut off by a policewoman with glasses and long brown hair tied back in a ponytail.

"Hey," she smiles, "I'm Constable Hange Zoe. You okay Honey?"

"Yes, thanks," Armin replies.

"Are you badly hurt?"

"I don't think so," Armin replies.

"I'm a doctor," Jean says. "I can take a proper look at him."

"Okay good," Hange smiles. "What's your name Honey?"

"A... Armin Arlert," Armin stammers.

"And was that your partner we just arrested?"

"Um... yeah."

"Can you accompany us to the station?" Hange asks. "Just need to ask you a few questions about what happened."

"Oh... sure..."

"I can come with you if you want," Jean says and Armin's heart aches. He realises that he's still holding Jean's hand and he tightens his grip slightly.

"Please."


	14. Evidence

**Hey everyone, so we're getting to the end of this story now (just a few chapters left D':) hope you enjoy the fall out from the last chapter**

 _It's not an interrogation_ , Armin has to keep telling himself. _It's just questioning about what happened with Reiner. It's not an interrogation, you've done nothing wrong._

"You okay Honey?" Hange asks, breaking him out of his thoughts as she sets up a recording device on her side of the table.

"Y... yeah," he stammers. He's not okay. He is so beyond okay it's not even funny. He wishes Jean were here with him. _I don't think I'd feel as nervous plus it would be fairer... less two against one._ Hange has another policeman with her – a man with flaxen blond hair, roughly the same height as her – and it feels a little bit as if they're ganging up on him. _It's not an interrogation..._

"This is Sargent Mobit Berner," Hange introduces the other man, as if reading Armin's mind. "We just have a few questions to ask you and we have to have two of us present for this kind of thing."

"Sure." Armin nods, his nerves catching his voice in his throat.

"It shouldn't take us long and then you'll be free to go," Moblit says. Armin is grateful but he isn't sure how much he believes him.

Hange presses a button on the recording device. "Constable Hange Zoe and Sargent Moblit Berner: interview number 191411, can you state your name for the tape please?"

"Armin Arlert," he says in a surprisingly steady voice.

"Okay," Hange says brightly. "So Armin in your own words can you tell us what happened?"

"Um okay," Armin takes a deep breath. "I came home this afternoon, I'd been away for a few days, Reiner saw a friend he doesn't know drop me off and accused me of cheating on him. I said I hadn't been but he didn't believe me, we got into a fight and he hit me."

"And has he ever hit you before?" Hange asks.

"No," Armin shakes his head, "never. I mean sometimes he's a little rougher than I'd like but he's never hit me before."

"So where had you been?" Moblit asks.

Armin falters. _You can't lie to the police about this, just tell them!_ "I was in hospital for a few days," he says.

"Did Reiner put you in hospital?" Hange asks.

"No!" Armin says, vehemently shaking his head. "God no! He's never done anything like that before. I just had a bit of a bad night and landed myself in hospital for a few days."

"It's okay, we just have to ask," Hange says holding up her hand. "We don't get a lot of domestic abuse calls so we make sure that we take each of them seriously."

"Okay."

"So you were in hospital," Moblit says reading from a small notebook, "you're driven home by a friend your partner doesn't know and, in the resulting argument, he hits you."

"Yeah that pretty much sums it up," Armin says. He wants to ask if he can go now. There's no reason for them to keep him because that is all he needs to say.

"Anything else you need to tell us?" Moblit asks.

 _That sounds like a leading question._ "No."

"Armin does Reiner have a temper?" Hange asks.

"Um... sometimes," Armin says. _This really feels like a leading question._ "Like I said this was the first time he's gotten angry enough to hit me."

"And he wouldn't accuse someone of something false because he was angry?" Hange asks.

"No..." _Where are they going with this?_ "Why?"

There is a pause and Armin knows that something terrible is about to happen. He looks between Hange and Moblit, who exchange a look before turning back to him.

"Armin, Reiner has accused you of prostitution," Hange says.

It takes a moment for this to sink in and all Armin can do is stare at Hange as he processes what she's just said.

"What?" his voice is barely above a whisper as he stares at both of them.

"Reiner has accused you of prostitution," Hange says again. "This may just be out of anger but it's a serious allegation and we need to treat it as such."

Armin's eyes begin to fill with tears. _I can't lie about this..._

"If it's not true then we'll say no more about it but–" Moblit begins but Armin cuts him off with a choked sob. Both Hange and Moblit look up to see tears streaming down his cheeks, his hand covering his mouth as he tries to hold the sobs in.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I'm so sorry."

"What for Honey?" Hange asks.

Armin takes a deep breath to try and steady himself but it doesn't work as the tears begin to fall harder. "I didn't want to do it," he sobs. "I didn't want to but my boss kept pushing me and Reiner kept saying that we needed the money and I didn't feel like I could say no."

"Are you telling us that Reiner's allegation is true?" Moblit asks.

Armin nods, unable to make his voice work, as more tears begin to fall. "Yes," he says in a tiny voice for the benefit of the recorder. He presses his hands to his eyes, desperate to stop himself from crying but to no avail. It doesn't come as a surprise that after all this time Reiner would sell him out to try and save his own neck. He just about hears Hange cough softly, expectantly. He opens his eyes and sees her holding a tissue out to him.

"Tell us what happened," she says as he takes it.

Armin wipes his tears away with the tissue and the back of his hand before he feels composed enough to talk. _He exhales shakily, might as well tell them everything..._

"So I used to work at Club Rose," Armin says, "as a stripper mostly."

"What do you mean mostly?" Moblit asks.

"Occasionally there was the odd private dance but never anything more sexual than that," Armin replies. "I mean I doubt I still have a job there, I haven't been in in nearly a week."

"So how did you move from stripping to prostitution?" Moblit asks.

"The owner of the club, my boss, calls me to his office and says that I need to start having sex with customers for money," Armin says. "Basically said that he would fire me if I didn't."

"What's your boss's name?" Hange asks.

Armin opens his mouth but he can't bring himself to say anything. He shouldn't feel any loyalty towards Erwin but he can't seem to force his name out.

"Armin, if you tell us his name we can do something about him before he forces anyone else into something like this," Hange presses.

"His name is Erwin Smith," Armin says finally.

"Did Reiner know you were having sex with people for money?" Moblit asks.

"Yeah," Armin admits. "I spoke to him about it and he told me that I should because we needed the money."

"So you had both of them pressuring you to do it," Hange says. "That can't have been easy for you."

"Neither of them really give me the option to say no. I really didn't want to do it and I hated every second," Armin says, tears pricking his eyes again.

"So how _did_ you end up in hospital?" Moblit asks.

 _Might as well continue with the truth..._ "There was one client who pinned me down even when I asked him not to, saying that he'd get me fired, and he was really forceful. I felt sick and awful afterwards so I..." He takes a deep breath. "I took five lines of cocaine and wound up in hospital."

"Where did you get the cocaine from?" Moblit asks.

"I stole it from someone."

"Then you returned home after you were released from hospital and the fight broke out," Moblit summarises.

Armin nods and he starts to cry again. "I'm sorry."

"Armin, sweetie, no one is blaming you for this," Hange says kindly.

"Am I..." Armin starts but the words choke him. He feels like he's drowning and can't come up for air. "Am I going to prison for this?"

"Not for something you were forced into," Hange replies.

"And from everything you've said this is something you were forced into," Moblit says.

"I'm sorry," Armin sniffles.

"You have nothing to apologies for," Hange says. "I know it's hard but if you could tell us everything then we can sort this mess out."

* * *

Dragging everything out with Hange and Moblit is awful but Armin just about manages to get through it with minimal crying. He's with them for way longer than necessary but finally, after what feels like hours, Hange turns off the recorder and leads Armin out of the room.

"Thanks for everything Armin," she says brightly. "I understand that was hard for you but we now have enough on Erwin to arrest him, shut Club Rose down and, with the testimony of your old co-workers, put him away for a very long time.

"And Reiner?" Armin asks. He doesn't know what outcome he wants from this. _Do I want Reiner to be let out or do I want them to keep him here?_

"Well that depends on if you want to press charges or not," Hange says. "We'll keep him in over night but after that it's in your corner."

"I don't think I want any more trouble," Armin says.

"That's understandable," Hange says placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Is there anyone we can call for you?"

"No it's fine," Armin smiles. _I don't want to cause Eren and Levi or anyone else anymore trouble either..._

"Well you have my number so just call me if you need anything," Hange says. She gives his shoulder a squeeze before returning to the interrogation room.

Armin sighs to himself. He really doesn't fancy the idea of going back to his house, on his own, and spending the night alone so he is pleasantly surprised when he rounds the corner and sees Jean nursing a coffee. When he looks up, sees Armin and smiles, Armin realises that 'pleasantly surprised' is an understatement.

"Hey you," Jean says when Armin reaches him.

"Hey," Armin says, smiling shyly. "You stayed."

"I said I would, didn't I?"

Armin's cheeks heat up as he brushes his hair behind his ear. Jean's smile is so comforting and beautiful Armin feels his heart beginning to pound.

"So are you all done with the questioning?" Jean asks.

"Yeah," Armin replies. "They don't need me for anything else."

"Do you have any plans."

"Not really," Armin admits. "Guess I'm just going back home."

"On your own?"

"Yeah," Armin shrugs. "I mean I don't have to worry about Reiner now and I suppose I should start looking for a new job 'cause if I haven't already been fired for not showing up my boss is about to be arrested."

Jean shakes his head. "I just don't like the idea of you being on your own after everything that's happened."

"I'll be fine," Armin says.

"Come to my place," Jean say suddenly.

"What?"

"Just until you get settled," Jean says. "We can even go back to yours and get some of your things so you don't have to go back if you don't want to."

"O... okay," he says finally. "Let's do that."

It might be a bad decision but he's gone past the point of caring and Jean's smile is just so beautiful he can't and doesn't want to say no. Instead he takes Jean's proffered hand, relishing the warmth of his finger, and allows himself to be lead out to Jean's car.


	15. Just The Touch Of Your Love

**Hello everyone :D and here is the chapter you've all been waiting for: smut ahoy! (like this story hasn't been filled with it) Hope you enjoy it, I love these dorks**

After they leave the police station Jean takes Armin back home to pick up his things. The house is still crawling with police, the door is still hanging off its hinges and it looks as if the place has been raided. Armin doesn't want to linger so he goes inside (after a quick call to Hange to get the officers at the scene to let him in) and grabs his stuff. It's the one time he is very glad that he doesn't have a lot of possessions. What he needs he throws in a bag and leaves the rest for Reiner to thrown out or burn.

The drive from Armin's to Jean's is mostly sat in silence, Armin staring out of the window and trying not to cry. _This morning I was leaving hospital and now I don't have anywhere to live, what the hell happened?_ It isn't until they're sitting at a set of traffic lights when Jean reaches over gives Armin's hand a squeeze and asks him what he wants for dinner does the tense atmosphere begin to dissipate.

Once they get to Jean's they're talking as if nothing has happened. Armin feels so at ease for the first time in so long and he can't thank Jean enough for everything he has done for him. The evening passes and Jean sets Armin up in his spare room (which is much nicer and larger than Armin's previous one) before bidding him goodnight and retiring to his own room. Suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion Armin climbs into the most comfortable bed in the world and instantly falls asleep.

Across the hallway, in his own room, Jean isn't having quite as much luck being able to get to sleep.

He lies there, staring at the ceiling and trying to forget that the most beautiful man he's ever laid eyes on is sleeping in his spare room. A huge part of him wants to go over and see if Armin is alright, an even larger part (guided from somewhere south of his belt) wants to go over and kiss him senseless. He gives himself a mental smack to the back of the head for that one. _He's been through hell! What he needs right now is a friend, not another creepy perv..._ He sighs, running a hand over his face and willing his semi-hard erection to go down. Sometimes he penis is a real dick.

After what feels like hours a soft knock at the door catches his attention. He turns on his bedside lamp, hoping it makes him look bleary eyed enough that he could just about pass for having been woken up.

"Come in," he calls. The door opens and Jean is not prepared in the slightest for the sight of Armin in a way too big sleep shirt that come down to about his mid thigh. He's seen Armin in next to nothing but the way he looks so vulnerable, shifting under Jean's gaze, has a heat rising up the back of his neck.

"Hey."

"H... hey," Jean stammers, struggling to get his words out. "You okay?"

"Yeah I just..." Armin bites his lip and shuffles, trying to find the right words. "I ended up having a flashback from earlier and I just don't really want to sleep alone tonight. Can I... can I come sleep in here with you?"

 _Say no._

 _This is a really bad idea, say no._

If Jean had a stronger resolve he would say no. He would tell Armin that it's a bad idea and say no... but Jean doesn't have a stronger resolve. "Okay sure."

Armin's smile makes his chest tighten. "Thank you," he says before he closes the door and makes his way over to the bed, Jean scoots over, giving him more room, and once Armin is comfortable he turns the light off.

Jean can barely breathe as he turns to face Armin to ask him if he's okay but he's already sleeping soundly. _Probably a good thing_ , he thinks as he rolls over onto his back. Having Armin this close all night is going to be putting enough strain on his sanity as it is without them talking in such an intimate setting as well. The best thing he can do is close his eyes, get some sleep and try not to think about it too much.

That seems to work... for about fifteen minutes.

Turns out Armin is a very restless sleeper ( _probably from everything he's been through_ ) and before Jean has realised what's happening Armin has cuddled up to him, pressing himself against his side. If Jean wasn't awake before, he is now. He can feel Armin's breath against his shoulder and he can feel his self-control starting to crack. Trying to make the situation better (for himself if nothing else) he moves his arm but that only seems to encourage Armin in closer, so close that he's sure Armin would be able to hear his rapidly pounding heart if he was awake.

Without thinking he runs his fingers through Armin's sort, golden hair. _He really is beautiful..._ One of Armin's arms drapes over Jean's stomach and he is really struggling to hold it together. He feels like such a creep. _I should wake him up before this goes any further and he thinks the worst of me, I should try to move him maybe, I should..._

But Jean never has the chance to make a decision about what he should do as Armin's eyelids flutter open and he stare up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of his.

"Um... hey," Jean says. He feels like he's been caught doing something he shouldn't and he suddenly realises he's still got his fingers wound in Armin's hair. He watches as Armin's eyes flicker from his, down to his lips and then back again. Jean opens his mouth to immediately start protesting that 'it's not what it looks like' but a pair of warm lips press against his, silencing him.

He's taken aback, but only for a second, before he uses the hold he has on Armin's hair to pull him into a deeper kiss. One of Armin's hands goes to tangle in Jean's hair, to keep their lips together for a little longer before they finally break apart, breathing heavily.

"Armin..." he pants, "we shouldn't..."

"Why not?" Armin asks, equally as breathless.

"Because..." Jean begins. He can't quite form a coherent sentence but he knows that he has to put a stop to this before something happens that Armin might regret. "Because I don't think we should."

"You don't want to?" Armin asks and Jean's heart aches at the glassy look that takes over his eyes. Jean presses his lips to Armin's forehead.

"Armin... god you have no idea how much I want to," he says. "I just don't know if this is the right time."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if this is going to happen then I want it to be because you really want it, not because you're reacting to something," Jean replies.

"You think I'm just reacting because we're in bed together?" Armin asks with a wry smile and a raised eyebrow.

"I have no idea.

Armin chuckles. "I know everything that's happened today, and pretty much since you met me, has been crazy and I know it looks like I'm just reacting to it all or I'm not thinking straight or whatever but this feels right to me. I want this, I really do."

"Are you sure?" Jean asks. "I don't want you to regret this in the morning."

Armin nods. "Yeah," he says. "I want this." He leans up and presses a kiss to Jean's lips again.

This time Jean doesn't pull away, this time he moves them so that Armin is lying on the mattress beneath him. The soft gasp that leaves Armin's lips as Jean presses kisses down his jaw goes straight to Jean's dick. The sounds Armin makes are like music to Jean's ears and the way that his fingers cling to Jean's hair as he grazes his teeth over Armin's neck is just perfect.

"Oh god, Jean!" His words ghost passed Jean's ear and he clutches him tighter.

Jean prises his lips away from Armin's neck long enough to start undoing the buttons on the sleep shirt. Immediately his lips are back on Armin's skin, pressing gentle kisses to each newly revealed section of his chest. Armin's fingers tighten in Jean's hair as he briefly stops to swirl his tongue around one of Armin's nipples. He blows cold air onto it, making Armin arch off the mattress and Jean can feel his hard cock pressing against his. He chuckles against Armin's heated skin.

"When was the last time anyone made you feel this good?" he asks as he moves his attention to the other nipple.

"God, I have no idea," Armin replies, his voice chocked as he struggles for breath. "Please don't stop!"

"I'm not going to," Jean chuckles, continuing to open Armin's shirt and kiss the exposed skin.

Finally he has the shirt open. He pulls back and looks down and his breath catches in his throat. Panting heavily and gazing up at him with hazy eye Armin looks absolutely beautiful. Jean's cock is straining against his boxers and he has to have a taste again. He leans down and presses his lips to Armin's again. Unable to resist the temptation he grins his hips down, rubbing his cock against Armin's, causing him him moan into his mouth.

Without him even having to ask Armin parts his lips and allows Jean to slip his tongue into his mouth. The desperate whines and whimpers that sound in Armin's throat only get louder as Jean slips his hand into Armin's boxers to push them down. One of Armin's hands reaches into Jean's boxers and grabs a handful of his backside.

"Fuck!" he gasps, pulling away from Armin's lips.

"Jean," Armin pants, staring up at him with eyes of lust and desire, "I want you. Please, want you in me."

Jean chuckles before pressing a quick kiss to Armin's lips. "Demanding little thing, aren't you?"

"Shut up and fuck me," Armin says, stifling his own chuckle before pulling Jean back in for another kiss.

It takes a lot of effort for Jean to pull away from Armin's lips but he does. He sits back on his heels and pulls Armin's boxers all the way off as Armin lifts his hips up. Jean's mouth is on him before they've even hit the floor and a loud, drawn out moan rips itself from Armin as Jean takes his cock all the way in.

"Oh god!" Armin cries and Jean wonders if the neighbours will hear (he doesn't care if they do, in fact he kind of wants them to). "Oh god, Jean!"

Before Armin can get too close to the edge Jean releases him and pulls away completely to rid himself of his own boxers. He grabs a condom and a bottle of lubricant from his bedside table, his movements hurried to get back to the angel beneath him as quickly as possible. When he returns to Armin the sleep shirt is gone, lying on the floor with the rest of their discarded clothing, Armin's legs spread a little wider than before. _Now that's a sight to make your heart stop..._

Jean keeps his eyes fixed on Armin's as he tears open the condom packet and wastes no time putting it on. Now that he finally has Armin underneath him in his bed he's not going to just stare at him. He squeezes lubricant onto his fingers and coats them in it before leaning down to press a heated kiss to Armin's lips.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks, giving Armin another opportunity to back out.

"Never been more sure of anything," Armin replies. He threads his fingers into Jean's hair and pulls him into a kiss as Jean sinks the first finger inside him.

As he works him open for his cock Jean is attentive, listening to every hitch of Armin's breath for any sign of discomfort before he works a second and then a third finger in. Before he knows it Armin is thrusting his hips, rutting against Jean's hand, desperate for him to go deeper. Jean pulls his fingers out suddenly and Armin whines in protest but makes no other complaint as Jean squirts more lubricant onto his hand and coats his cock in it.

He takes Armin's thigh and places it on his hip as he sinks into him. Once he's completely inside him Jean waits for Armin to adjust but as he feels him tighten around him he can't hold it together. He pulls out and begins to thrust into Armin, pressing kisses to every inch of skin he can reach, desperate to taste.

"Jean!" Armin cries as he clings to him. "I'm close."

"Me too," Jean pants. Supporting himself on one arm he reaches down and begins to pump Armin's cock in time with his thrusts.

All it takes is a few more thrusts before Armin cums with a cry of Jean's name. He tightens to an almost vice like grip around him and Jean reaches his own end. He holds onto Armin, continuing to thrust so that they ride out their pleasure together. He presses a kiss to Armin's forehead before pressing his against it.

"You're so perfect," he whispers linking the fingers of one of his hands with Armin's and giving his hand a squeeze.

"So are you," Armin whispers back before leaning forward and kissing Jean's lips again, utterly content.


	16. Still Falling For You

**Morning everyone, thought I'd upload this before I head off to work, hope you enjoy it :D**

There is a tiny part of Jean that expects the following morning with Armin to be awkward but it isn't, far from it in fact. Waking up with Armin in his arms feels so right and he presses a kiss to Armin's forehead before he gets out of bed, pulls on his boxers still lying on the bedroom floor and goes to the kitchen to start making the both of them some breakfast.

Everything about this morning just feel perfect and Jean even finds himself humming quietly along to a song on the radio as he makes coffee. Just knowing that Armin is in his bed, safe and happy, just makes everything seem brighter. The fact that they spent last night having sex is a wonderful added bonus.

He finishes making a large stack of pancakes, putting them on plates and a tray along with coffee and is about to make his way back into his bedroom when Armin appears. He is in that huge sleep shirt, with the front of his hair tied up in a tiny ponytail, and he looks so breathtaking Jean almost feels like saying 'fuck breakfast' and taking Armin into his room for round two.

"Morning," he says smiling.

"Hi..." Armin says. He shuffles, looking down at the floor and fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"How did you sleep?" Jean asks.

"Great thanks," Armin replies, blushing. He looks up and Jean, teasing his lip between his teeth and smiling. "Although I must admit I did wonder if you'd disappeared when I woke up and you weren't there."

"Do you expect me too?"

"I don't know," Armin shrugs. "Not really, no."

"Do you want some breakfast?" Jean asks.

"Yeah that would be great thank you," Armin replies.

Jean hands him a plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee before leading Armin over to a small table. Armin sits, feeling a little awkward, but he pushes it down and begins eating. The first bite of pancake is like heaven and Armin doesn't even bother to stop the groan of pleasure at the taste. Jean chuckles as he watches.

"Good?" he asks.

"Amazing," Armin says, swallowing his mouthful. "I can't even remember the last time I had something that tasted this good."

"I'm glad," Jean says. He can't help but smile at how happy Armin looks. His smile lights up his entire face and his eyes gleam. _So beautiful..._

"Thank you so much for this," Armin says.

"It's just pancakes and coffee," Jean chuckles.

"I mean for everything," Armin says. "For this, for letting me stay, just for everything really."

"It's fine," Jean says. "After everything that's happened I'm not just going to let you sleep out on the streets. I care about you too much."

"What?" Armin asks, his fork poised halfway between the plate and his mouth. Had he just heard that right?

"I care about you," Jean says again. Armin's obviously having issues processing this so he's going to have to spell it out for him. "I would have thought that would have been obvious after everything that's happened between us."

"I... I suppose so," Armin mumbles, his blush beginning to spread. He brushes a lose strand of hair behind his ear and turns his attention back to his pancakes.

"This may be a bit presumptuous of me," Jean begins after a few seconds of silence, "but what the hell, would you like to stay?"

"Here?" Armin asks, surprised.

"Yeah."

"What like until I get settled?" Armin asks.

"If you like," Jean replies shrugging even though Armin has totally missed his meaning all together.

"That would be great, thank you," he says.

"Great," Jean says smiling.

"I need to find a new job though," Armin says after a pause. "I need to start looking for something that will take an ex-stripper and that might take some going."

"I think I might be able to help you there."

* * *

"Sasha," Jean sings, grinning at the girl glowering at him from behind the counter.

"What do you want Jean?" Sasha asks as she slams the till closed. "I can't give you free muffins anymore. I get in trouble."

"That's not what I'm here for but good to know," he chuckles. "No I came because I wanted to ask you a favour."

"What kind of favour?" Sasha asks. "Because if you're going to ask me to go out with Connie again you're too late, he's already asked me out."

"And?"

Sasha blushes and looks away. "We're going out Friday," she mumbles.

"Good," Jean grins. "That wasn't what I was going to ask though."

"Oh really?"

"This will be a huge benefit for your though," Jean says. "Are you still hideously understaffed?"

"I literally work here by myself. Hannah just left to become a florist, of all things," Sasha says.

"That's good."

"Not for me it bloody isn't," Sasha says.

"What I mean is you have a job going that Armin can fill," Jean says gesturing to him as Armin steps out from behind him and waves shyly at Sasha.

Sasha looks him up and down with narrowed eyes. "Can you serve people and smile at the same time?"

"Yes Ma'am," he says.

"Well that's more than some people achieve in a lifetime," Sasha says. "You start first thing tomorrow."

"Oh... okay..." Armin says startled. "Sure."

Sasha smiles at him. "Don't look so scared honey, I'll look after you."

"Armin this is Sasha," Jean says, gesturing to her. "She's a little bit mad but she's nice enough."

"Nice enough?" Sasha asks with a raised eyebrow.

"She is an angel sent from heaven," Jean corrects himself.

"And don't you forget it."

"Thank you Sasha," Armin says smiling. "I won't let you down."

She winks at him. "No problem honey," she says before she turns to smile at the next customer.

Armin turns to smile up at Jean as they walk away from the counter. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything," Armin replies. "I'm just so thankful for everything you've done for me and I have no way to repay you."

"You don't need to repay me," Jean says.

"I know but I want to," Armin says.

"Okay then move in with me," Jean says.

"What?"

"Move in with me," Jean says again. "I don't want what happened between us last night to be a one night thing." He cups Armin's face with both hands and presses their foreheads together. _I've already told him that I care about him so I might as well go for broke..._ "Armin I'm crazy about you and I have been since the first night I saw you dancing on that stage. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you and you have no idea how happy I am to have you in my life. I don't think I'm ready to let you go. Not now, not ever."

"Jean this is insane," Armin says, his voice thick with emotion. He's desperate not to cry but the things Jean has been saying are almost too good to be true. _It can't be happening, people like me don't get happy endings._ "It feels like it's moving too fast."

"Then I'll take a step back," Jean says. "You can stay in the spare room and I'll dial it down as much as you want me to."

"How are you this understanding?" Armin asks shaking his head and taking hold of Jean's wrists, smiling.

"Because you deserve someone who is," Jean says. "I'd give you the world if I could."

 _Maybe it's time to let someone be nice to you for a change, who cares if it's too soon, god knows you need it._ "Okay," he says, smiling up at Jean and giving his wrists a gentle squeeze. "I'll move in with you... properly, not just in the spare room."

"Really?" Jean asks, a grin of his own spreading across his face.

"Really," Armin says.

"Perfect," Jean says before closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to Armin's in the most perfect kiss Armin had every experienced.


	17. Epilogue

**Hey guys so this is the last chapter of this story. Thank you all for indulging me, your reads and reviews, I'm so happy to know that you've all enjoyed it as much as I have. I always like to have a very sappy ending so here you go, I hope you enjoy it :)**

Over the past year Armin has realised that there are some things he can now no longer live without. Electric blankets – _how on earth do people survive the winter without them?_ – having a job with normal human hours – _you mean you can finish work before two in the morning?_ – and, more than anything else, Jean. Living with Jean has been the most amazing experience in the world, for the first time in his life Armin has financial security, he no longer worries about going home at the end of the day and he's happy.

While Jean's hours are a little sporadic occasionally, Armin doesn't mind and when Jean is working late he takes up extra shifts at the café. He's made an amazing friend in Sasha and even managed to get Ymir a job at the café as well once the club was shut down. When he thinks back to where he was a year ago, how much of a mess his life was, he can't even imagine what he would have done if it weren't for Jean.

A gentle hand brushes his hair out of his face and Jean presses a kiss to his cheek, rousing him from sleep. "Time to get up Sleeping Beauty," he whispers.

Armin buries his head further into the pillows. "No... comfy," he mumbles, his voice muffled even further by layers of material.

"We're going to be late meeting Eren and Levi," Jean chuckles.

"Fine," Armin says, pushing himself up, his eyes still closed, "I'm awake."

"Are you really?"

"No," Armin says, shaking his head.

Jean presses a kiss to his lips. "I made coffee."

"Coffee?" Armin asks opening his eyes, suddenly a lot more alert.

Jean chuckles. "Thought that might perk you up."

"I can think of something else that will perk me up," Armin says. He takes hold of Jean's collar and pulls him in for another kiss.

"Tempting," Jean says once Armin has released his lips, "but do you really want to tell Eren that we're late because we stopped to have sex?"

"Levi would understand even if Eren doesn't," Armin replies.

Jean just laughs and kisses him again. "Come on, get dressed. I'll make it up to you later."

"Fine," Armin sighs theatrically and gets out of bed.

The promise of coffee and an evening of hot sex when they return home has Armin showered, dressed and out of the door in twenty minutes flat. Jean marvels at his speed – _that must be new a record_ – and the two of them leave the house. Now that he's happy Armin thinks that even Shingashina isn't as much of a hovel as it used to be. He stops for a second in the middle of the bridge they're meeting the others on and looks out over the river. _It's actually quite pretty out here..._

"Hey Armin," Jean says, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah?" He turns to see Jean, down on bended knee and holding out a small box. Armin's heart stops as Jean opens the box to reveal a plain silver band nestled inside.

"I've been thinking about this a lot recently," Jean says. "Armin, I love you and I don't want to be apart from you for even a moment so will you marry me?"

Armin stares at him, tears welling up in his eyes, a mix of emotions flowing through him. Finally he's able to find his voice. "No."

"What?" Jean asks, crestfallen, and Armin's heart aches at the hurt on his face. "Why not?"

"Because..." He can't seem to find the right words to make sense of this.

"You do love me, don't you?" Jean asks.

"Of course I do!"

"And I love you so what's stopping you?"

"Because you deserve better!" Armin cries, desperately holding onto the tears threatening to spill.

"What?"

"You deserve better than me," he says again. "I've done so many things in the past. How could you possible want to stay with me forever?"

"I don't care," Jean says. "I don't care what you've done, that's not you anymore. Even if it was it still wouldn't matter. I feel in love with you and I love you no matter what. You are the most perfect thing in this world and I want to stay by your side for as long as you'll let me and do my absolute best to make you as happy as you've made me. So, with all that in mind, will you marry me?"

The tears are falling down Armin's face now but he doesn't care. He smiles radiantly through them. "Yes," he says, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "Yes of course I will."

Jean's smile splits his face in two. He hurriedly takes the ring out of the box and places it on Armin's finger before he gets to his feet and pulls Armin into a kiss. Armin wraps his arms around Jean's neck, kissing him back just as passionately.

They stay like that, entwined in each others lips and arms, until a loud cough brings them back to earth. They both turn in unison to see Eren and Levi standing a few feet away, watching them.

"Are we interrupting?" Levi asks and Armin's face turns scarlet.

"No..." he mumbles. "We just..."

"Oh my god!" Eren cries suddenly, his eyes zeroing in on Armin's left hand. "Are you two getting married?"

"How do you do that?" Armin asks, shaking his head and grinning.

"It's a gift," Eren says, "so are you?"

"Yeah," Armin replies shyly, smiling up at Jean, "we are."

Eren practically launches himself at Armin, throwing his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly as he congratulates him. Jean watches, smiling fondly at how happy Armin looks. _That smile..._

"Congratulations," Levi says, breaking him out of his stare as he appears at his side. "I've never seen Armin look as happy as he does when he's with you."

"Thank you," Jean says. "I'll make sure that he stays this happy."

"Good."

Armin looks over and smiles at Jean and his heart swells. _This, right here, is perfect and it can only get better._

 _THE END_


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